


Bird's Eye View

by AtheneNoctua



Series: Krystal & Company (This Series Basically Uses the Same OCs) [2]
Category: KHR - Fandom, Katekyou Hitman Reborn!
Genre: Edit of my first ever fanfic, F/M, Focus on the Kokuyo Gang, OC insert, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-18
Updated: 2019-02-25
Packaged: 2019-04-24 11:50:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 23
Words: 44,548
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14354859
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AtheneNoctua/pseuds/AtheneNoctua
Summary: Slow Burn: Mukuro X OCFollows the manga & anime.  Krystal came to Japan to live with her cousin.  Unexpectedly, she gets wrapped up in problems she could have never foreseen.





	1. From The Top

**A/N: This is one of my old stories rewritten.  Written for my own enjoyment, it's an OC insert to the original story.  If this isn't what you're looking for, move on.  However, if you read and like it, comments are appreciated.  I don't care if you just say you like it or let me know what you want to see or what part you liked.  My only ask is no critiques on grammar, etc.  I'm busy writing my original novel and other works.  This is purely for fun and to keep my brain busy.**

 

‘ _Oh, bleep_ ,’ Krystal thought.  Kneeling on the floor, she threw whatever she thought she might need in her bookbag before slinging it over my shoulder and glancing at the clock.  How was she running so late?

“Are you ready?”  Her cousin’s voice came from the other side of the door.

“Give me a sec!” Krystal tossed her stuffed animal up on the bed before standing up.  One last look around….she should have everything.

Opening the door Krystal smiled brightly at Sakura.  Sakura’s eyes were slightly glazed with faint circles underneath.  “See!  Only took a second!”

Sakura sighed as Krystal leapt down the stairs ahead of her.  “What are you waiting for?” she called while looking up.  “Let’s go!”

Krystal’s heart pounded.  First day at a new school.  She could be whatever she wanted.  Nobody knew her this far from home. 

*****

Krystal had been in a daze on the walk there until nearing the front gate.  Normally there were a few loud people and normal school commotion, but this was different. 

There was the sound of crying and running.  Krystal looked up from the grey sidewalk.  A girl with reddish hair was crying at the gates.  Another young man chased her through the school gates

 “Uh, what’s going on?” Krystal asked, leaning in towards Sakura’s ear. 

Sakura shook her head.  Krystal snorted lightly, of course she didn’t.

Then she noticed the scruffy haired boy standing by the gate.   “And why the hell is he in his underwear?!” 

“Excuse me?” Sakura looked at me surprised. 

Krystal motioned towards the boy who seemed to be yelling at a baby dressed up in a suit.  “What on earth is he doing?”

This definitely wasn’t normal.  But…maybe she could help him.  Krystal wasn’t sure what had happened, but...  Before she knew what she was doing she was walking towards him.

“Krystal, wait,” Sakura said.  Sakura’s fingers brushed her sleeve, but Krystal was already gone. 

“Hello-“ Krystal started to say as she got closer. 

“How…How embarrassing!” he yelled, realizing the full extent of his problem.  It only took a moment for him to start running away.

Krystal blinked, unsure of what to do.  He was already too far gone to do anything.  Her shoulders dropped in disappointment.  ‘ _Poor boy…._ ’

“Come on, Krystal.  You were the one worried about being late,” Sakura said as she grabbed Krystal’s arm and pulled her towards the school. 

With one last glance in Tsuna’s direction Krystal followed her in.

*****

**The next day in class**

Sakura and Krystal were sitting in the back corner of the classroom talking when Tsuna, as Sakura had said his name was, came in.  The class erupted in taunts and jeers.

Krystal’s eyes narrowed as she raised her head off the desk to look towards the doorway.  Tsuna stood there looking positively mortified.  She smiled for a fraction of a second.  He’d managed to show up to school today despite the whole school talking about yesterday. 

“Dame-Tsuna shouldn’t have come back!”

“Excuse me?” Krystal growled, looking around for the source.  Was there any reason they insisted on treating the boy this way?  She stood up to go over and tell them a thing or two when Sakura grabbed her arm.

“It’s not worth it,” she said.

“Not worth it?”  Krystal looked back at Sakura in disbelief.  “It’s ok for them to say that?”

Turning her attention to the person, Krystal found that they’d already gone and were carrying Tsuna off.  “What are they doing?!”

“It’s so romantic!”

“Mochida’s so sweet!”

“He’ll teach Tsuna a lesson!”

“Where are they going?” Krystal asked the girls as they left, trying to calm herself a bit.

The other two ignored her and continued walking.  The one spoke up before running after, “We’re going to the dojo.  Mochida is going to fight Tsuna for Kyoko!”

“Mochida’s being ridiculous,” Sakura said.  “Anybody could beat Tsuna.  What is this going to prove?”

Krystal looked back at Sakura.  “We should go.  I don’t want Mochida to hurt him, but he’ll need someone to support him, won’t he?”

Sakura was already standing up.  “Yamamoto might be there.”

Krystal tried to suppress an eye roll.  “Of course that’s what you think of.”

She couldn’t help but laugh at the red dusting Sakura’s cheeks.  “Shut up!”

“You should just tell him~,” Krystal teased, skipping ahead.  Phone calls with Sakura over the years had told her all about her feelings for the baseball star.

“Come back here!” Sakura said.

“I’ll beat you there!” Krystal skipped into a run.

“No way you’re beating me!”

*****

Krystal shoved her way through the crowd and up to the front to see what was going on.  She was pretty sure that she accidentally stepped on a few toes to get there.  Sakura followed behind her apologizing to everyone.  Like that was really needed.

They got close enough to the front just in time to hear Mochida say, “I shall smite you!!” 

Krystal’s eyes narrowed instantly.  Who actually says that sort of thing?!  Her annoyance only mounted as the boy continued and he named Kyoko as the prize. 

Sakura tensed beside her.  ‘ _So…she’s not the only one who would love to kill Mochida right now._ ’ 

A small smile came to Krystal when she saw Kyoko being held back by a group of girls.  Her chest grew warm with pride.  And here she had just thought Kyoko was the pretty popular girl. 

Krystal looked to see Tsuna’s reaction.  If he liked Kyoko as much as he seems to, he should be proud…right…    He was gone.   

“Really?” Krystal asked under her breath.   “Where did Tsuna go?”

Sakura shook her head.  “What’s he thinking?”

Krystal scanned the crowd.  Mochida seemed way too pleased that his opponent had run off.  Not like she expected anything more from him though.  With a soft snort she focused on the people closest to her.

 “Dame Tsuna ran off again,” she heard someone say. 

“He used the bathroom excuse again.”

“I don’t like Mochida,” Sakura said and Krystal redirected her attention to her, “but what kind of person runs away like that?”

“Someone who values their life,” Krystal said without thinking.  “Mochida’s being a….a _jerk_ about this.  Since when is a girl a prize?!” 

Sakura didn’t say a word and they stood silently as the crowd milled around us. 

A minute later Tsuna came bursting inside the dojo with only his underwear on.  Everyone was staring at him as he ran right towards Mochida. 

“What is he doing!” Sakura gasped as Krystal stared in surprise. 

Mochida’s laugh broke through the crowd and he swung at Tsuna.  Krystal grabbed Sakura’s arm, expecting the worse as Tsuna didn’t even try to dodge.  She was as stunned as the rest of the crowd as he broke right through. 

It took a second, but everyone recovered right before….he tore off Mochida’s hair?!

“I GOT HYAKUPON!!!” Tsuna screamed.

There was another stunned silence before everyone broke into laughter, including Sakura and Krystal.  Krystal started clapping as she laughed.   “That’s brilliant!”  It seemed impossible to stop as Tsuna tore out more until the ref relented and declared him the winner. 

“Good luck growing that back!” she yelled with glee.  Her stomach was becoming a little sore from laughing so much.  Sakura elbowed her but grinned back.

 “What?” Krystal asked returning the grin.  “He’ll need it.”

The rest of the crowd rushed to congratulate Tsuna, but they hung back.  “Can you go back home without me today?” Sakura asked once their laughter calmed. 

Krystal looked at her surprised.  “Sure, but why?” 

“I wanted to ask Yamamoto about a couple of things.”

“Oh yeah, you’re training for baseball too, aren’t you?”

She nodded.  “Yeah, so you’ll be fine?”

“Yes, now go.  I can handle myself.” Krystal grinned shooing her off.  Sakura smiled and ran away.

With that she turned back to Tsuna.  Kyoko was walking away from him and he looked delighted.  Krystal shook my head and ran and hugged him.  

“Congrats, you crazy child!” She crooned as she ruffled his hair. 

He screamed and would have fallen over if I hadn’t been holding him.  “Who-?” he stopped as she let go and took a step back.  “Who are you!”

Krystal waved and smiled.  “Krystal!  Just wanted to say that that was utter brilliance.  Hopefully people won’t call you dame as much anymore!” 

Tsuna sweatdropped and laughed nervously.   “Well…I’ve gotta go….”  And with that he took off.

Krystal rolled her eyes, shook her head, and sighed.  “Come on.  I’m not that crazy.” 

There was a small skip in her step as Krystal turned and headed home.  She couldn’t help the small happy feeling at him remembering her name.  ‘ _Perhaps someday we can be friends.  After all, we misfits have to stick together.”_


	2. New Sport, New Friend

With a screech Krystal stretched back in her seat.  “I’m so tired!” 

“There’s no need to screech about it though.  Maybe you shouldn’t have stayed up reading so late,” Sakura replied, not looking up from her textbook.

“Meh…but it was at the best part.  I mean, you want me to make Valerio wait another day to face his foe?!  What kind of sadist are you?”  Krystal looked up at her with wide eyes as she flopped forward.  She brushed back her hair.  “I don’t think Valerio would be very happy with me if I did that.” 

Sakura ignored her.  “Valerio is not a real person.  He’s a book character.”

“So you say…” Krystal’s voice came out muffled as her head was now resting in her arms.  She didn’t move despite it being harder to breathe in this position. 

“Are you going to the volleyball game today?” Sakura asked looking at her.

“Hmmm…”

Sakura poked Krystal in the side causing her to squeak and flop out of her seat.  

“What was that for?!” Krystal looked up at Sakura who was glaring.  She pouted before getting up into her seat again

“I asked if you were going to the game.”

Krystal blew her hair out of her eyes.  She made it a point not to look directly at Sakura.  “I don’t know.  If you’re going, I will, but those types of sports usually don’t interest me much.”

“Yeah, I’m going.  So, I guess you are.”

Krystal nodded and rested her head on her hand.  “Besides, I heard Tsuna was playing.  Perhaps he can pull off another random victory like with Mochida.”

“I wouldn’t put my faith in Tsuna like that.  He’s not exactly known for his sports.”

“Perhaps…”  Krystal yawned.  She barely made an effort to cover her mouth before resting on the desk again.  “Wake me up when it’s time.”

*****

**At the game**

Krystal growled and tapped her foot on the ground impatiently.   “When is this starting again?” 

“It should be starting soon.  We only got here five minutes ago.”

“Are you sure?  It feels a lot longer than that.  What are we waiting for?   Is Tsuna here yet?”  Krystal stood on her tiptoes.  Maybe she just hadn’t noticed him yet.

“No.  I actually think that’s who they’re waiting for.”  Sakura crossed her arms

“Come on…"

A few seconds later the place erupted as Tsuna walked in.   

“There we go,” Krystal said, gesturing towards him.

Krystal watched with amusement as Sakura got really into it.  Despite her excitement beforehand, she couldn’t keep up and grew bored after only a few minutes.  Tuning out, she listened to the surrounding conversations.  Somehow, gossip was more interesting than watching sweaty boys hit some balls around.

As the game progressed, she cringed.  Even she noticed Tsuna’s lack of skill.  “What’s up with him?”

“I told you the time with Mochida was a fluke.”  Sakura moaned as Tsuna messed up again. 

The whole crowd grumbled and shouted as the game stopped.  

“He’ll do better in the second part maybe.  Right, Sakura?”  

All Krystal got was a soft growling sound.  Tilting her head to the side, she turned back to the game.  “Or not…..”

The team was completely worn out.  They panted and wiped the sweat off their brows, except for Tsuna.  He seemed uneasy and kept glancing around.

Much to both of their joy, Tsuna somehow came back with some ridiculously high jumping that helped save the team.

*****

**Next day in homeroom**

“I told you he would,” Krystal said excitedly poking her cousin in the ribs.  

“I know.  Now, stop,”  Sakura said trying to grab Krystal’s hands.

Krystal clapped her hands together before Sakura could grab them and smiled.  “It’s fantastic!”

“Yes, fantastic,” Sakura said coldly. 

Krystal cocked her head and looked at her curiously, studying her face.  “Was that sarcastic…?”  

“Yes, and no.”

At that moment the teacher came in and called for everyone to settle down.  A new boy stood at the front of the class.  He glared at them, his silver hair falling in his eyes.

“We have a new transfer student who was studying overseas in Italy,” the teacher announced, “Gokudera Hayato.”

Krystal doodled in her notebook.  “I wonder what they’re like…” she mused.  

She could introduce herself after class.  They were both transfer students even if he was Italian and she was American.  Maybe they’d get along.

“What do you think Sakura?” 

Krystal looked up to see Sakura, her jaw slack, as she stared at him.  “Sakura?” 

“Wh-What?”  Sakura turned to look at her.  

“Are you ok?”

She nodded.  “Isn’t he hot?”

Krystal blinked and looked at the boy.  Messy silver hair, a permanent glare and bad posture. 

“Not really…  At least, I don’t see his appeal.”

Sakura stared at her.  “Not really?”

“What?  He’s just another boy.  I don’t get why everyone’s so excited.”  Krystal shrugged and turned back to her doodle.  The twisting lines seemed to almost be forming something coherent…

Krystal and Sakura jumped at a loud crash.  The new student had kicked over Tsuna’s desk.  

“What the heck?” Krystal gasped.  “What did he do?” 

“What a jerk!” Sakura exclaimed, her fascination all gone. 

“See, just another jerk.”  There went her plans of introducing herself.

*****

**End of class**

Krystal and Sakura went home the back way and stumbled across Tsuna and…and the new student?!  Tsuna looked nervous and the transfer student was nearly bouncing beside him. 

“What’s going on, Tsuna,” Krystal asked with a quick glance at Gokudera.  She eyed him, ready to run if needed.

“A-Ah…” Tsuna’s eyes widened. 

“None of your damn business, woman!” Gokudera glared at her.  

Krystal shrunk behind Sakura who moved in front of her.  

“What’s your problem,”  Sakura barked right back.  Her eyes narrowed at him.

“G-Gokudera-kun!” Tsuna panicked as Gokudera pulled out dynamite.

“What do you want with Juudaime?” 

“Juudaime,”  Sakura repeated.  “Who is Juudaime?”

“I thought he hated you, Tsuna,” Krystal said softly as she moved to hide behind him. 

“He did.  But- Gokudera-kun!”  

Sakura and Gokudera were sizing each other up, nearly circling each other. 

Gokudera looked at Tsuna.  “Get away from Juudaime, you freak!” 

Krystal’s eyes widened and she let her hair drop in front of her face.  

“Who are you calling a freak?  You’re the one carrying dynamite at school,” Sakura snapped. 

Everyone stopped as Hibari showed up by Gokudera and Sakura.  “I’ll bite you to death.”

“Hi-Hibari-san!”  Tsuna shrieked. 

“I’m out,” Krystal said and ran away, dragging Tsuna along.  “Come on, Sakura!” 

“What are you doing to Juudaime,” Gokudera yelled as Sakura took off behind him. 

Hibari watched as they ran off school grounds before turning away.


	3. Short Chapter For A Short Day

A/N: I apologize for the brevity of the chapter, but it called for it.

“I don’t know whether we lost because of me or because of you,” Krystal laughed as she walked by Tsuna and Sakura.  She kicked a nearby pebble and tucked her hair behind her ear.  “I’ve never had a talent for baseball.  Especially in gym.” 

“It’s probably my fault…”  Tsuna’s shoulders dropped.

“Yeah, or it could be your fault.”  She smirked and bumped his shoulder. 

Tsuna sweatdropped and Sakura sighed.  Tsuna stopped by Yamamoto.  “Sorry it’s all my fault.  Just when you let me in the team.”

“Don’t worry,” Yamamoto said with a smile.  “It’s only PE.  I’m counting in you, my target stock.” 

Tsuna and Krystal looked at him confused as Sakura smiled.  “Yamamoto’s right.  It’s only class.  Besides, you’ve been doing well lately like with volleyball and Mochida.”

“I’ve got you checked in my book,” Yamamoto added. 

Tsuna rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment.  “Oh…Uh…” 

Yamamoto shrugged.  “In comparison I just play baseball like it’s all I know.”

Tsuna stared at him.  “What?  What’re you talking about?  It’s that baseball skill that’s amazing.”

“It’s not going that well.”  Yamamoto’s smile faded slightly. 

“What do you mean Yamamoto,” Sakura asked, her eyes narrowing.  “You’re brilliant!” 

Krystal nodded.  “You’re certainly much better than I could ever be at it.”

Yamamoto chuckled.  “Thanks.  It’s just lately no matter how much I practice, my average is dropping and my fielding is screwing up.  At this rate, it’ll be the first time I don’t start since I began playing baseball.  Tsuna…What should I do?”

‘I’ve never seen him so down and serious,’ Krystal thought.  Even Sakura was staring at him, her mouth slightly open in surprise.

“You’re asking me?!”  Tsuna was close to panicking.

“Just kidding,” Yamamoto said brightly.  “Lately you’re so reliable so I just…”

Tsuna’s eyebrows furrowed.   “I guess…more effort…is the way to go…I think.” 

“Yeah.”  Yamamoto stretched and grinned.

“Huh?!” 

“You know, I thought that was it, too.  We agree as expected.”

“Re-Really?”  Tsuna didn’t smile.

“Alright, today I’m remaining here and practicing like hell.”  Yamamoto threw his arm around Tsuna. 

“Just don’t push yourself too hard Yamamoto,” Sakura said.  Her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes.

“I’m sure you’ll improve,” Krystal beamed, swept up in his enthusiasm. 

“Thanks, guys!  I’ll see you later!”  Yamamoto waved as he headed off to practice. 

*****

**The next day at school**

“Yamamoto is about to jump off the roof,” a student yelled from the classroom’s doorway.

“What?”  Sakura’s jaw dropped.  

Krystal paled as the class focused on the boy.  A number had knocked over their chairs as they stood up.

“When he stayed after school practicing yesterday he went too far and broke his arm!” 

Everyone rushed for the door, leaving the room empty.  Krystal’s chest constricted, fear siezing her breath.

Sakura gripped Krystal’s shoulder.  “Krystal, we need to go help him.  We can’t let him do this.”

“I’ll stay here.”  She dug her nails into her legs and stared at the desk.

Sakura hesitated, but quickly ran for the roof.

The cold of the classroom settled under her skin.  Taking a deep breath, Krystal slowly stood and headed home. 

**Later that day**

“Hey.  Are you here?”  Sakura’s voice rang through the home.

“I’m up here,” Krystal called, sticking her head out the door.  “What happened?”

“It’s fine,” Sakura said, coming into view on the stairs.  “Nothing happened with Yamamoto.  But why did you leave earlier?”

Krystal leaned against the doorway.  “Didn’t feel like sticking around if people were going to be talking about that all day.  Not my thing.”

Sakura looked her up and down, her brow furrowed.  Her eyes were startling intense.  “If you say so.  You’re coming tomorrow, right?”

Krystal nodded.  “Of course.  Especially if Yamamoto is alright.  Will you come in and go over the lessons with me?”

“Sure.”


	4. Superfluous Chapter - Because I Can

**Back At School**

“So where are we going again and why?” Krystal asked as she followed Sakura.

“Reborn said that Tsuna was sparring Kyoko’s brother and that we should be there to support him.” 

“Exactly.  Why do I need to be there?  Especially if this has more to do with that mafia stuff…”  This wasn’t exactly something Krystal was interested in to begin with.

“You’re Tsuna’s friend aren’t you?” Sakura asked.

“Yes, but I’ve also got a book with my name on it that’s waiting for me.” Krystal moaned as they arrived.

“Then it can wait a little longer.” 

“Good luck Tsuna-kun!” 

“Don’t lose!”

“Juudaime~!”

_‘Why?  Everyone else is already here and cheering.  Besides, I don’t like boxing!’_

“Go Tsuna!” Sakura yelled joining in with the Yamamoto, Gokudera, and Kyoko.  With a sigh Krystal sat down on the floor.  _‘If I have to be here, I might as well get comfortable.’_

“Why aren’t you cheering for Juudaime woman?” Gokudera growled at her. 

Krystal glared up at him.  “Because unlike _you_ I don’t actually want to be here.”

Gokudera was about to snap back when his attention was drawn back to Tsuna who had just been hit.  Everyone watched as the two started after a pause to seriously spar.  Krystal instantly got bored although she was impressed by how well Tsuna was dodging.  There was a collective gasp when Tsuna hit Ryohei before everyone started cheering. 

Krystal smiled as everyone else celebrated.  “Wasn’t that great?!”  Sakura said hugging her.  “Yeah.  Sure.”  Krystal conceded before Sakura ran back to the rest.  Now…time for that book.  It would be her reward for suffering through this.

*****

**Another day at lunch on the school roof**

“It’s fall already…The summer vacation ended abruptly and now I feel kinda sad.”  Tsuna mused as he ate.

“We spent all summer attending the supplemental classes too,” added Yamamoto.

“Well, at least some of you were in classes,” Krystal chimed.  “I was volunteering at the zoo.”

“Hasn’t that idiotic cow been annoying lately with his grape-grape fever?” Gokudera asked.

 _‘What does that have to do with summer?’_  Krystal was about to ask when Tsuna screeched.

“Chestnuts are good too.”

“Reborn, isn’t it?” Tsuna turned to see Reborn in a giant chestnut costume.

“Ciaossu.”

“OWWWWWWW, YOU’RE STABBING ME~~~!!” 

Krystal tried to suppress her laughter.

“This is a camouflage for secret agents, autumn style.”

“I BET 100 OUT OF 100 PEOPLE WOULD LOOK BACK RIGHT AT YOU!!  First of all, didn’t I tell you not to show up at school?”

“We’ll make a hideout for the family.”

“HUH?!”

“Now that sounds fun,” Krystal perked up along with Sakura.  “Hideouts are always good~.”

“A secret base, huh?” Yamamoto looked excited. 

“What are you, a little kid?!” Gokudera snapped.  “I’m for the hideout!  A family definitely needs a hideout.”

“Hypocrite” Krystal muttered.  It was the same thing!!  She couldn’t help the small glare she sent Gokudera’s way.

“Decided then.” Reborn finished.

“Where are we gonna make it?” Yamamoto asked, “The mountain behind school?”

“’Course not!!” Gokudera fumed. 

“We’ll use the reception room of the school.”  Everyone looked at Reborn in surprise.  “The reception room is almost never used.  The furnitures and the views are good and the geographical location is excellent.”

“We’ll start with rearranging the desks,” Yamamoto said.

“I’ll sit on Juudaime’s right side,” Gokudera added. 

Krystal and Sakura followed behind.  “I have a bad feeling about this,” Sakura said quietly. 

“Well I don’t.  It sounds fun!” Krystal bounded ahead only to get yelled at by Gokudera.

*****

**At the room**

“I didn’t think we had such a good room-“ Yamamoto began as he opened the door.

“Who are you?” Hibari asked from where he was leaning against the couch.

“He’s-“

“What is he?” Gokudera asked.

“Gokudera, wait…”

“Would you put out your cigar in front of the Disciplinary Committee president?  Either way, I won’t let you get away.” Hibari said.

Krystal backed up as Gokudera started after him, “What the hell, bastard---?”  She turned and ran and didn’t look back.  _“No way I’m getting involved in that.’_

**Later at the house**

“I’m back,” Sakura said entering Krystal’s room.

“H-Hello.”  Krystal smiled nervously.  “I see you’re ok.”

“No thanks to you.”

“Y-Yeah I’m sorry….”  Krystal’s eyes went wide as Sakura grinned.   “Um…..Sakura?  NO!!”

And thus Krystal’s received the punishment of tickling for skipping out on the group.


	5. I Hate My Need To Name Chapters

**_*Yes I’ve skipped past some of the Daily Life Arc.  I-Pin’s showed up at this point, but I wanted to make sure I included Dino.  If readers ask, I might go back and do extras on some of those days and areas.*_ **

“Good morning Tsuna, Yamamoto, Gokudera,” Sakura said happily.

 “Morning,” Krystal mumbled behind her.  She waved slightly before rubbing her eyes.

“Morning,” they replied, far too awake for this time of the day. 

“Hey Tsuna, you just said something about the mafia,”  Yamamoto started.  “That’s a weird company name.” 

“Did we interrupt something,” Sakura asked, crossing her arms. 

“Ah….”  Tsuna sweatdropped when a car pulled up beside them.

Krystal perked up when she saw the car and her jaw dropped slightly.  The light shown against the bright red, making at an almost ruby color.  “A Ferrari…and even better, a Dino!” 

A lasso lashed out and pulled Tsuna in. 

“Tsuna?!”  “Juudaime!!”  

Sakura’s mouth hung open.  Krystal immediately chased after the car. 

“Krystal wait!”  Sakura grabbed her arm.

“Let me go,” she growled. 

“They’re yakuza called the Momokyokai that controls the area around here.”  Krystal quit struggling and turned to look at Reborn along with everyone else.  “Yakuze is Japanese mafia.  You middle-schoolers won’t stand a chance against the adult mafia.  Leave it to the police.”

“Like hell I’d leave it to them!!”  Krystal and Gokudera, ignoring their unison yell, ran off. 

“I’m coming too,” Sakura said running after. 

“I’ll leave the cops to you, little boy.”  Yamamoto quickly followed.

*****

**At the yakuza’s place**

Krystal and Sakura stood over one of the men.  “Where is Tsuna,” Sakura demanded while Krystal growled, pinning the man under her foot, heel digging in to his chest. 

Gokudera had another guy by the shirt and Yamamoto confronted one of the others.  Both were questioning the recently unconscious man.

“Wha-!”

All turned at the sound.  “Tsuna!”  Krystal tackled Tsuna as soon as she saw him and the other man.  “You’re ok!”  Krystal picked him up and spun him. 

“Let go of Juudaime,” Gokudera growled and raced over.

Krystal stuck her tongue out at him before putting him down and Gokudera checked him.

 “You look alright.” 

“Tsuna you’re here!” 

A blond man spoke.  He was older than her, more around her sister’s age.  “That’s really something.”

Another voice interrupted the moment.  “What did you do?  You brats.”  More people piled through the door.  All adults and all mad. 

Tsuna wailed, “The strong-looking guys arrived!”

Gokudera glared.  “Bastards…they just keep showing up.”  He stepped towards them but was stopped.

“Wait, they’re not like the youngsters you just beat up.  You can’t do it.”  The blond man cut in front, somehow staying relaxed.  “Leave an adult opponent to an adult.”  

The man faced the yakuza and smiled.  “I’m the 10th boss of the Cavallone family, Dino.  It’s my fault that it turned out like this.  I apologize.  I’ll pay for everyone’s medical fees as well as the fee to repair all the equipment.  Please accept that offer.”

 _‘So he’s also in the mafia,’_ Krystal thought with a glance towards Tsuna.

“Huh?  Family?  What are you talking about?  This is Japan,” said one.

“We’ll take the money alright.  But you guys aren’t going anywhere.”  The man started forward.

“You’ve broken off all negotiations then.  I guess we’ll have to return with force.  Here I come!”  Dino raised his whip.

He promptly hit himself, Gokudera, Yamamoto, Gokudera, and Sakura.  Krystal and Tsuna barely leapt back in time.  

“What the heck are you doing?!”  Gokudera clutched his face. 

The men laughed, “What the heck was that?!”   “What a fool!  He just hit himself!”  “Make sure they never talk again!”

“W-Wait!  N-No way!  Someone help me!!”  Tsuna yelled, frantically waving his arms.  All of a sudden Tsuna’s hands grew and he was in his underwear again.   “REBORN!!!   BEAT UP THE YAKUZA WITH MY DYING WILL!!”

“Wha?!  What’s with his hands?!”  They didn’t have to escape as Tsuna attacked.

 “Ow…”  Dino held his head as he sat up.  “Tsuna’s pretty good.”

“I suppose he is,” Krystal said looking at Dino.  She didn’t recognize him, though he seemed to be friends with Tsuna.  “By the way, my name’s Krystal.”  She extended her hand.

Dino smiled as he shook it.  “I’m Dino.  It’s nice to meet you.” 

Krystal smiled back.  “The other girl you hit is my cousin Sakura.” 

“Watch out,” Gokudera yelled.  “Are you ok, Juudaime?”  He stood back to back with Yamamoto.

“We’ll watch your back,” Yamamoto added a little too cheerfully.  Sakura nodded as she joined in.

“These guys…” Dino started. 

“We can’t lose to them either, boss.  Why are you slacking off?  That’s uncool.”

Krystal turned to see a group of men in suits.  “You guys!”  Dino lit up.  “God, you guys are so noisy.  OK!  Let’s have fun!” 

 _‘I’m not sure what you’re definition of fun is’_ Krystal thought, _‘but I’m not going to let you take all the glory!’_   With that she jumped in too.

*****

**Tsuna’s house**

“I’m impressed.  I can leave Tsuna to you guys,” Dino said with his turtle on his shoulder. 

“No...leave me…  It’s not like that,” Tsuna said.

“I’m going to go shopping with my men now,” he said getting up.  “See ya.”

“Ciao.” Reborn said. 

“Gokudera-kun, I thought you hated Dino-san.  So I was afraid you were gonna turn on him.” Tsuna commented.

“He just talks big and is petty so I’d rather not pay attention to him,” Gokudera said sullenly.

“No….Dino-san isn’t pet-“

A scream interrupted him and they turned to see the Dino had fallen down the stairs. 

“Dino-san!!”

“I knew it,” Gokudera muttered.

Krystal sweatdropped and Sakura shook her head.


	6. Star Boy

**_*I’m making another stop along the Daily Life Arc for Fuuta.*_ **

“It’s coming!”  The soccer ball hit Tsuna squarely in the face before bouncing away. 

“He couldn’t even get a pass like that.”  “He’s useless Tsuna, after all.”

“Juudaime, are you ok?!” Gokudera yelled.

Krystal and Sakura looked at him with concern.  “I…I’m fine.”  Tsuna said hurrying after the ball.  “I’ll go grab the ball, you guys keep playing with another one.”  

Gokudera, to Krystal’s surprise, didn’t chase after  him but got another ball to continue.  They played for another ten minutes before Krystal stopped and looked around.  “Where’s Tsuna?” she asked looking at Sakura. 

“I don’t know.  He hasn’t come back yet.”  Sakura said shrugging.

“Why are you guys stopping?”  One of the others called. 

“Juudaime’s missing?” Gokudera asked concerned.

“I thought he’d be back by now.  Maybe we should stop by his house…” Krystal said.

“Dame Tsuna probably just didn’t want to see his face,” another boy commented.

Gokudera growled but Sakura grabbed him and started dragging him away.  “Let me go you damn woman!” he yelled. 

“Fine.” She said and dropped him. 

“Quit messing around.  Let’s go see if he’s home.”

*****

**Tsuna’s house**

“We’re fine waiting for Tsuna.” Sakura said as they settled in his room.  “He’ll have to come back eventually.”

“So you hope,” Krystal said under her breath as she folded her arms.  While she was concerned, she was getting tired just sitting there and doing nothing. 

“Juudaime’s the best!  I’m sure he’s fine!” Gokudera said confidently. 

“Don’t you have something else to do?” Krystal snapped.  Dealing with him wasn’t helping her mood.

“No-“ he started but then his eyes went wide.  Then he ran off.  “I’m going to go search for Juudaime.”

“Have fun with that.”

A few minutes later a young boy came in. Krystal looked up curiously.  Maybe he had some info on Tsuna.

“Hello.” He said.  “My name’s Fuuta.” 

Reborn followed him in.  “He’s Tsuna’s guest.  I told him he can wait with you.”

“Of course!” Krystal said.  She made sure there was room for him to sit before looking back.

“My name’s Sakura,” she said introducing herself. 

“And I’m Krystal.  It’s nice to meet you.”

“It’s nice to meet you too,” Fuuta said sitting by them.  “Do you know if Tsuna-nii will be back soon.”

“No idea.  I hope he is though.  He abandoned us during soccer.” 

The group talked a bit before the door opened to show Tsuna.  “You’re back Tsuna-nii!” Fuuta said happily.

Tsuna screamed, “You were that weird kid during soccer….”

“I thought he was interesting so I invited him in.” Reborn said.

“And we came because you left us,” Krystal said glaring at him.  She didn’t mean it, but it felt right.

“Krystal!  Sakura!  You’re here too!” 

The two girls smiled at him.  “Been here for a while now.”

Tsuna turned back to Reborn, “He made a ball float in the air, and then ran off when a bunch of adults came chasing.”

“They were mafia.” Fuuta said.

“More mafia….” Krystal said quietly.  Why couldn’t she escape?

“What?!  They were mafia?!  You were chased by the mafia?  What’s going…?!”

“Please Vongola 10th, Tsuna-nii!!  Please help me!!” the kid begged.

“Wha?!  What are you talking about?!  How am I supposed to deal with the mafia?!”

Krystal glared at Tsuna.  “I’m headed home, “ Sakura said getting up. 

“Ah, ok then.  See you later!”  Krystal said as she slipped out.

“I know that,” Fuuta commented.  “Because Tsuna-nii, you…” the kid pulled out a huge book, “you’re placed last in both the overall combat ability and intelligence out of 872 mafia bosses.”

Krystal tried to suppress her laughter by covering her mouth with her hands as he continued. 

“But you’re placed first in your inability to turn down requests!”

“WHAT?!” Tsuna yelled as Krystal gave into her laughter.

“He’s the informant Fuuta who can make incredibly accurate rankings.” Reborn said, “because his rankings are 100% accurate.”

“How is that possible?!”

“That being said, information on the mafia is very valuable.  It is said that if you can get a hold of his book, which is filled with rankings, the entire world would be in your grasp.”

“Oh…” Krystal said softly looking at Fuuta.  That sounded both interesting and useful.

“That’s scary!!  So, that’s why the mafia are after you?”

Fuuta nodded.  “Yes, for the book.”  The kid started begging again, “So save me Tsuna-nii!!”

“NO….  No, no, nooo!  You think I’m really bad at turning down requests but it’s not true.”

“Aw, Tsuna….”  Krystal hugged Fuuta and looked up at Tsuna.  “How can you deny him?” 

“That’s not all.”  Fuuta said.  “Tsuna-nii’s ambition is also placed first among all bosses, so I won’t have to worry about you taking my book, will I?”

Krystal smiled more at that comment and place her head on top of Fuuta’s.  This little boy was pretty cute~!

“Why don’t you help him?” Reborn asked.  “You’re not going to leave a weak little animal out on the savannah for all those carnivores, are you?”

“Eh?”  Tsuna turned to look at Fuuta again to see him using the puppy dog eyes along with Krystal. 

“Come on Tsuna….  Look at him.” 

“T-Then fine…” Tsuna relented.

“YAY!!”  Fuuta and Krystal cheered hugging each other and jumping.

“They already caught up.” Reborn stated as he looked out the window. 

“Oh yeah!  There are scary looking guys loitering outside my house.”

“Tsuna-nii, now what?” Fuuta asked looking up at him. 

“Yeah Tsuna-nii,” Krystal chimed.  “What do we do?”

“Reborn now what?!” Tsuna cried looking desperate.

“This has nothing to do with me.”

“No way!  Let’s tell Mom to get rid of them first.”

“That’s too dangerous!” Fuuta said.  “The Todd family is ranked 7th for bloodlust out of all the mafia families.”

“What?!”

Krystal’s face paled a bit.  _‘What did I get sucked into?’_

“It’s the first time I’ve seen these two, but the tall one, Paolo, is very powerful and ranked 55th among 86,000 people in terms of his attack strength.”

“REALLY?!”

“I can go out front and distract them if you want to slip out the back.” Krystal offered. 

“Ah, Krystal.”  Tsuna started.

“I’ve got no stake in this.  Give me something that looks like I could be hiding a child in and I’m off.  I’m fast and I’m smart.  I could at least distract them for a bit.”

Reborn nodded.  “That could work.”

*****

A few minutes later Krystal was running out the front door with a large carpet.  All she needed was to give them just a little time.

“Hey!  Come back!” the men yelled and started chasing her. 

 _‘Here we go!’_   Krystal took the smallest paths she could, but they were still gaining.  She made the mistake of looking back and tripped.  As soon as she did the carpet came undone.

“She doesn’t have him!”  The one shouted. 

“So where is he?”  said the other.

Krystal took advantage of this and continued running without the carpet.  They didn’t bother chasing her anymore and she made her way home.  _‘I hope that kid is alright.’_   Krystal sighed.  She’d check on him tomorrow.  It wouldn’t do any good to go back there now.

*****

**Two hours later**

_‘I can’t stand it!’_ Krystal got up from her bed and called Tsuna.  She tapped her fingers impatiently until someone picked up. 

“Is Fuuta ok?” she asked quickly.

“Krystal?  Yeah, he’s fine.” Tsuna answered.

“Good.  I just wanted to check.  Good night.”

“Go-“ Krystal hung up and crawled back to bed.


	7. Really?

Krystal rolled out of bed slowly with an extended yawn.  Her eyes felt heavy and her shoulders felt sore.  She tried to focus on what happened in her dream…it was right there... 

Sitting on the edge of her bed, she shook her head and got ready for school.  With any luck, she’d remember it later.

*****

Krystal sat with Tsuna, Sakura, Yamamoto, and Gokudera for lunch on the school roof.  She wasn’t paying attention though.  She still felt like she had forgotten something.  Something important. 

“Krystal!”  Sakura was waving her hand in front of Krystal’s face.  “Are you alright?”  Everyone was looking at her concerned. 

“Ah, yeah.  I’m fine!”  Krystal smiled at them. _‘How long did I zone out?’_   “I’m just trying to remember something…”

“Well don’t worry Juudaime like that!” Gokudera snapped.

Krystal shrunk back a bit.  “I didn’t mean to…”

Sakura started arguing with him again which allowed Krystal to go back to thinking.  Then it hit her.  Her dream last night came back as vivid as ever.

_She was in an old building, someplace she shouldn’t be.  She was slightly out of breath.  Krystal should have been terrified, but it seemed like something had snapped in her brain.  There was a blond boy with spiky hair standing at the far entrance to the room and a boy with dark hair standing above her.  The boy with blond hair was opening his mouth to speak._

_Krystal missed his response as she stopped laughing and looked up at the boy.  Her mouth opened to say something but… ’No, stop you don’t say anything here.’_   _Nothing came out.  These feelings were the same as that dream._   _‘Next Mukuro’s going to look at me.’_   _Right on cue he looked at her surprised that she’d stopped laughing._   _‘Now I’ll shake my head and remember why I’m here.’_   _“Fuuta.” She said softly, just like she remembered._

“What the hell is that?” Krystal said as the dream came back.

“Krystal?”  Her friends were really looking at her weird.

 _‘Was that one of my visions or a dream?  It felt like a vision, but I don’t know anyone like that…’_  

“Really I’m fine.”  Krystal said waving them off.  “I just remembered a dream I had last night.  I knew I had forgotten something.”  They looked at her strangely but continued on. 

 _‘I hope that’s one vision that doesn’t come true.’_ She thought as she joined in with her friends.

**One week before Kokuyo**

“I bet you can’t catch me, Krystal!” Fuuta said running away.

“Oh yes I will!”  Krystal ran after Fuuta.  She purposefully ran a little slower than the other kid.  They’d both really wanted to play tag, so they headed out to the nearby park.  It was just after dusk, and some people would say it isn’t safe for a woman and a kid to be out alone.  Krystal disregarded it all.  They were in the public park after all and she could take care of herself if needed. 

Fuuta ran into the trees and Krystal hid in a bush waiting to surprise him when he ran past again.  It seemed like a good strategy.  She waited a minute but didn’t hear him. 

That was weird.

Krystal stood up and saw a couple boys.  They had grabbed Fuuta.  Fuuta was struggling but he didn’t have a chance. 

“Ha, we got him Kakipi!” The blond one with spiky hair said.  His tongue seemed to be sticking out of his mouth. 

“Just hurry up Ken.”  The other boy had on a beanie and glasses. 

Krystal’s chest swelled with anger.  “Let him go you creeps!” She yelled and rushed them. She managed to take the blond one off guard as his back was turned to her.  His grip on Fuuta loosened slightly. 

“Wha-“                                                   

“Krystal!” Fuuta yelled.

Krystal stomped on the boy’s foot as she tried to pull Fuuta away.  The boy’s hand came around to hit her.  So, she did the first thing she thought of and bit it.  He yowled in pain.  She bit down harder causing his pitch to go up.  With coppery blood landing on her tongue, she let go. 

Her adrenaline skyrocketed in only a few seconds.  It had been a while she had fought.

“Who the hell-?!” he started, but Krystal punched him in the stomach.  The boy still had a grip on Fuuta’s one arm and Krystal grabbed the boy’s wrist.  She let her nails sink in and aimed a side kick for the boy’s stomach again.  This time he grabbed her foot.  “Heh.  Got you too.”

Krystal’s eyes went wide and she tried to pump the foot but he pulled her leg up.  She tightened her grip on his wrist as her support foot slid out from under her.  She tried to scream at the falling sensation, but the air was knocked out of her lungs. 

“Krystal!” Fuuta yelled. 

Krystal tried to straighten up and saw black for a minute.  Her spine was sore.  She couldn’t move the left side of her body.    _‘Fuuta…’_  

“Quit playing around Ken and let’s go.”  She faintly recognized the other boy’s voice.

“Fine!  You could have at least helped you four-eyed kappa!” 

Fuuta’s yells were muffled. 

Krystal sat up.  The rboys’ arguing was growing more distant.  Getting to her feet, she stumbled for a second before looking down the street.  She wouldn’t win a fight with the two of them without Fuuta getting hurt, but she might be able to sneak him away.

With control of her body back, she followed them for who knows how long until they came to an old abandoned building.  Keeping in the shadows, she went inside after them.  The cobwebs and mouse dung caused her nose to crinkle.  She was thankful for the dust though that helped muffle her footsteps. 

“Yo~ are you finished, Mukuro-san?”  It sounded like the blond one’s voice. 

Krystal stayed close to the wall and shadows as she inched closer.

“Yes, just now.  You should’ve watched here with me too.”  The voice was cool and smooth compared to the blond’s.

“I wanted to but Kakipi stopped me,” he said in an annoyed tone.

“If you’re there, you’re likely to do something unneeded, Ken.”  That sounded like the glasses boy.

“Eee!!  You’re saying things like that again?  I’m pissed you no-no glasses!”

“….will you stop calling me that?”

_‘They don’t really seem to get along at all….’_

“Come now, you two,” the third voice said.  The voice was almost musical.  “I apologize for boring you two.”

“It’s fine.  We’ve gotten a good catch as well.”

There was a thud.  “The Ranking Fuuta.  He seems to know the 10th Vongola.”

“Oya.”  Krystal held her breath.  What were they going to do?  “The Ranking Fuuta.  If it’s information from him, there’s no mistake.”  There was a pause then, “Well, our game is finished.  Once we get information from this child, we’ll start to move.”

“Oh!  Finally byon~!” Ken’s voice echoed. 

Krystal scurried further back when she heard their footsteps coming out the same way.   _‘Oh bleep!’_   She looked around for somewhere to hide. There was a fallen curtain brushing against her shoes.  Bracing herself, she slid under it.  Her heart raced with at the thought of what else might be under with her.  Krystal punched the curtain up so it wouldn’t form to her body shape. 

She could hear the third voice, Mukuro, speaking in the other room.  “I will count on you too Lancia.”

Footsteps started out of the room.  “How cruel…” another voice said softly.

They stopped.  “Yes?”

Krystal held silent and tried to steady her breathing.  The curtain felt heavy on her.  Her ribs seemed to be constantly moving it.  Lifting up the front ever so slightly, she looked for another exit.  There were only two that she could observe.  One being the door she came in, the other was the one the led further inside. 

A minute later, footsteps left the room. Krystal watched the feet leave and sat silently.  With it remaining still, she slowly crawled out. 

“So Ken and Chikusa did bring back something else.” 

A scream jumped in her throat.  That was the voice from the other room.  Her stomach chilled.  Suddenly there was a figure crouching down beside her.  Her muscles twitched and took off.  A hand landed on her wrist.  Jolting her back, she fell flat on her face.

“We can’t have you running off now can we?”  The voice while still so sweet froze her to the spot. 

He twisted her wrist and she went with the motion to avoid it being broken although she squeaked at the pain.  Laying on her back she could get her first look at the boy. 

“I’m assuming you’re here for the boy.  What association do you have with the Vongola?”  In the darkness, Krystal could only make out spiky hair and the flash of glaring eyes.  The cuff of his jacket brushed her wrist.

“Vongola?” Krystal breathed.  “What do you want with my friends?”  She glared at him.  The Vongola was no concern to her, but Sakura and everyone else were.  “You’re one of those mafia people who were after Fuuta before aren’t you?!” 

The boy chuckled and twisted her wrist more.  There was a sharp intake of breath from Krystal as she grit her teeth and tried not to show the pain.  On her stomach now, she had to look at the floor. 

“We are not part of the mafia.” He growled.

“Really?  Because from my point of view you don’t really seem that different.”  There was a kick to her solar plexus that knocked the breath out of her.  She straightened her back and breathed deep.  “In fact, if the Vongola and Fuuta are mafia and you’re not, I would pick the mafia over you any-“  She was cut off short by another kick that threw her against the wall. 

Krystal tried to regain her breath and sit up, but she couldn’t.  _‘Oh, why can’t I learn to just shut up sometimes!’_   She looked up to see the boy standing above her with a smirk.  “I would appreciate it if you stop hitting me there.  I need that breath for singing you see….”

The boy sighed.  “You really don’t know when to be silent, do you?”

Krystal couldn’t help but laugh now that she was regaining her breath.  “Oh, you don’t know the half of it!”  She couldn’t seem to stop laughing even though it was very clear that this was not the type of situation to be laughing at.  Krystal looked up at the boy.  As soon she did, she started laughing again. 

“Is something amusing?”

Krystal shook her head.  “I…..I have no idea why I’m laughing!   I just….”  Krystal could barely breath she was laughing so hard.  Tears were rolling down her cheeks.  A side stitch was forming slowly.

There was another voice, “What’s going on byon?” 

“Ken – “

“Eee!  It’s that girl from earlier!  What’s she doing here?  And what’s wrong with her?”

Krystal’s laughs had gotten wilder with his arrival.  She slapped a hand over her mouth as she doubled over.

“It seems she followed you here.”

“Hi ya!” Krystal said while still laughing and giving a fake salute.  “How’s your hand feeling?” 

Krystal missed his response as she stopped laughing and looked up at the boy.  Her mouth opened to say something but… _’No, stop you don’t say anything here.’_   Nothing came out.  These feelings were the same as that dream.  _‘Next Mukuro’s going to look at me.’_   Right on cue he looked at her surprised that she’d stopped laughing.  _‘Now I’ll shake my head and remember why I’m here.’_   “Fuuta.” She said softly, just like she remembered. 

But how do I remember something that hasn’t happened before?  “Déjà vu.” Krystal whispered


	8. Boundaries

“Oya?  What did you say?”  Mukuro asked with his smirk back.

“What I said is none of your business.” Krystal retorted, mentally hitting herself for saying that.  “What do you want with Fuuta?”

“Kufufu, I don’t think that is any of your business.” Mukuro said amused.

“It’s certainly my business because he’s my friend!” Krystal snapped.  She started to charge, but was knocked back by Ken who had tackled her.  She was pinned down by…by claws?! 

Krystal looked up to see Ken looking at Mukuro.  He had some weird tattoo on his cheek now and he seemed to have grown canines. His hair had also changed color.  Her eyes went wide.  _‘True canines…._ ’

“Mukuro-san, what should I do with her~?” Ken called.

Krystal noticed the words wolf written on the tattoo.  _‘So does that mean he’s part wolf?  A werewolf?’_   His head and ear were close enough- That gave her an idea.  If she remembered her facts on wolves and dogs correctly…Krystal screamed as loud and high pitched as she could before Mukuro could answer and Ken could react. 

Ken immediately let go of her to cover his ears.  She didn’t waste any time, but ran to the room where Fuuta was.  “Fuuta!”  When she entered she saw Fuuta bound and gagged on the floor.  Pulling out her pocket knife she started cutting at the rope. 

She didn’t get very far when there was a figure approaching her.  Krystal shifted the knife against her forearm and spun in a low fighting stance.  Mukuro approached her. 

“I’m afraid you’re not allowed to do that,” he said.  He seemed to be amused still.  _‘Does he ever stop smiling?!’_

Krystal swung with the knife, but he stepped back instead and grabbed her wrist and then the other swinging them behind her back.  She squealed at the pain and dropped the knife.  Some distant part of her brain was still functioning and tried to sink her heel into the top of his foot.

She gasped as he hit her knees and forced her down.  Now her arms were tilted up and back at an even more painful angle that forced her to kneel on the floor.  Although she was facing the floor, she tried to angle her head back to look at him but couldn’t quite do it.

“It’s no use struggling.  It’s clear you’re part of the Vongola.” He said.

“Part of the Vongola?” Krystal repeated against her better judgement.  She laughed.  “I’m not part of the mafia either.  I hate the idea of the mafia.  I’m only here because you took my friend!”

There was a pause before she continued, “If you let me go perhaps we could make a deal.  This position is really uncomfortable.  Besides I don’t have any weapons left on me.” 

“You really think I’m going to let you go?” Mukuro asked.

“Well, let me go and I won’t get up.  This is just hurting my wrists…….Please?” 

“Hmm….” To her surprise he actually released her. 

Krystal rolled around to face him and sat on the floor massaging her wrists.  “You just had to twist my one wrist too far didn’t you?”  She commented before biting her right wrist. “Gah, this won’t go away for a while.”  Her voice was muffled from the bite. 

“You are interesting.  Aren’t you afraid?”  Mukuro asked still standing.

Krystal glared up at him for a second before relaxing.  She sighed and looked down at the wrist she was massaging.  “Of my situation?  Yes.  I’d have to be a fool not to be.  Of you?  Sorta.  You’re certainly skilled and know what you’re doing, but as a person…..no.   Why should I be?  You’re just another boy.”

Krystal looked over at Fuuta.  She could crawl over there, but then Mukuro might think she was trying to do something.  _‘He’d better be ok._ ’ She thought darkly.  Fuuta would have to put on hold for the moment. 

“You said something about making a deal?” Mukuro asked.

Krystal took a deep breath.  She had to think of something fast.  “I assume you’re not willing to let Fuuta go are you?”  Krystal glanced up to see that his smirk still hadn’t left. 

“Kufufu, of course not.  He’s a necessary part of my plan.” 

“Well then, I’ll stay here, because I’m not leaving without him.  So you’ll just have to put up with me.  I won’t try to fight you or cause trouble for you so long as you don’t hurt him.”  Krystal was still thinking about everything else.

“We weren’t planning on harming him,” Mukuro said smoothly. 

“Then this deal should be no problem to make.”

“But what do you get out of it?”

“What do I get?  I get to make sure my friend is ok and I’ll have an excuse to skip school for however long I’m here.  I make perfect grades so I can probably convince them not to give me make up work….so….”  Krystal shrugged. 

Mukuro started laughing causing Krystal to jump slightly.  “Fine then.  Stay if you’d like.”

“Wait,” Krystal started.  She hadn’t expected this.  “What about food?  And clothes?  And I need my music.  How about tomorrow, while everyone is at work and school, could I have one of those two, preferably not the animal one, take me back to my house?  I can get clothes there along with a book and some music.  I can even get some food.  Besides, my cousin will be wondering why I’m not back tonight, so I can leave some kind of note saying I had something come up and I’m staying with a friend.”  The words came spilling out quicker than she expected.  Her brain was racing.  It wasn’t a great situation, but it could give her time to get Fuuta out. 

“Hmm?”  Mukuro was looking at her amused again though he seemed to be thinking it over.  “I’ll have Chikusa go with you.”  He chuckled again.  “I just hope you know what you’ve gotten yourself in to….”

He was almost cut short by Krystal hugging him.  “Thank you thank you thank you thank you!!!”  She could feel him tense and let go of him immediately and knelt by Fuuta.  “Oh and one more thing,” she started looking back at him, “could I be allowed to wander around the building and grounds here please?  I’ve never been in this area and it looks really fun.” 

Mukuro sighed.  He looked a little exasperated, but not like he was going to argue.  “No farther than the gate out front.”

Krystal beamed.  “Lovely. Now, could I at least get Fuuta out of these bonds?”  She turned but he’d already left.  She cocked her head at the place where he’d been.  _‘How strange…’_


	9. Hints

**A couple days later at Kokuyo**

Krystal was reading her book in the corner of the large room.  She could barely focus on the book.  She glanced back over her book at Fuuta her who was napping.  He’d been acting strange lately and she couldn’t tell what Mukuro and the others were doing.

She remembered back to exploring the other day.  She had found the owner of the fourth voice she’d heard the first night. 

She’d been running around a corner and quite literally ran into him.  At the time, Krystal had been so surprised that she didn’t even get his name.  She’d barely glanced at him and taken off with an apology.   The man had a couple dark stripes on his face that looked like tattoos.  He’d been around a couple more times, but she’d kept her distance.  For some reason he creeped her out.

Focusing on her book was difficult.  Ken and Chikusa arguing constantly in the background.  _‘Focus on the book,’_ she told herself, forcing her eyes to look back.  It was hard to tune them out though. 

Over the last couple days she’d gotten used to Chikusa a bit more.  They didn’t interact much and mainly just left each other alone.  It still frustrated him that the man seemed to never smile.

Ken had taken a bit more to get used to.  He was loud, stinky, and downright rude.

Nothing had happened to Fuuta yet.  She’d gone out on her own a few times still trying to figure things out, but he always seemed fine when she came back.  Well, as fine as one could be in this situation.

“Ken, Chikusa.”  Krystal looked up to see Mukuro standing in the doorway. She let out a quiet huff of amusement as the two quickly stopped arguing.  They followed him out and left Fuuta and her alone.  Something felt different today than the other days. 

Krystal decided then to ignore it.  She’d rather stay here and keep an eye on Fuuta.  With the Kokuyo students around all the entrances and exits, she hadn’t found a way out.  Burying her  nose back in the book, she shut out the world.

*****

**Next Morning**

Krystal woke up to find they were still gone the next morning.  She stretched and looked over at Fuuta.  He was still asleep.  Carefully she went out and decided today would be a good day to hang out in the theatre area.

Krystal curled up like a cat in the front corner.  Anyone coming into the room wouldn’t be able to see her easily but she’d be able to see them.  This position was strangely comfortable for her and it allowed her some time to think.  Putting her head down, her mind wandered and soon fell asleep.

The sound of fighting woke her.  She opened her eyes ready to spring up if she needed to.   Her knees were sore from the hard floor.  The floor left a slight impression on her cheek and forehead.

“Kufufu.”

Krystal looked up.  Mukuro was sitting on the couch.  He looked at her briefly but his attention turned back to the room’s doorway.  _‘When did he get in here?’_

“Yo,” said a voice of someone who had just entered.  To Krystal’s surprise she recognized it.  Looking at the doorway she saw Hibari. 

“You’ve finally come,” Mukuro said ignoring her. 

Krystal’s eyes went wide.   It didn’t make sense for Hibari to be here.  _‘What did Mukuro do?’_   Hibari wasn’t the type of person to involve himself in something unless….Krystal looked back at Mukuro.  _‘What has he been doing to my school?’_

Not wanting to draw attention to herself, she watched the exchange that followed between the two.  She couldn’t move even if she wanted to.  Her heart sunk.  She’d seen fights before at school and they always made her stomach turn. 

Suddenly, cherry blossoms appeared around the ceiling.  Krystal watched as a petal floated in front of her.  She picked it up gently.  _‘This isn’t real.’_   She looked around.  There was no way this was real.  So why was Hibari acting like it was? 

Krystal watched in horror as Mukuro beat him.  This was worse than watching a fight.  The sick feeling in her stomach grew, nearly boiling over.  A hand covered her mouth.  She couldn’t bring herself to look away.  It was terribly mesmerizing.

Hibari looked beyond beaten when Krystal regained her senses.  “Stop!”  She ran between Mukuro and Hibari.  Crouching down, one hand rested on the floor as the other swept her hair away from her face.  Hibari didn’t seem to be awake anymore. 

Her chest tightened again as she saw the slight frown and narrowed eyes from Mukuro.  She looked between the two boys.  Last time she’d been in this situation, she’d been suspended and nearly choked.  Her heart was pounding as Mukuro smirked at her. 

“He’s already beaten,” Krystal said quietly.  “You don’t need to do anymore.”

“I don’t?”  He seemed even more amused by what she just said.

“No.”  Her voice faltered for a second.  She couldn’t let this strange adrenaline disappear.  He limbs were trembling.  “Nobody deserves to be treated this way.  I don’t care what’s happened.” 

“Even someone like me?” He asked. 

Krystal bowed her head and took a deep breath.  The air tasted musty  and humid.  “Even you,” she said.  _‘Though you’re certainly starting to make me question that.’_

“Kufufufu, how naïve.”  Mukuro shook his head slightly.

“Excuse me?”  Krystal’s head jerked up.  She glared at him.

“Do you even understand what I’ve done?  Or hasn’t Fuuta told you anything?”

That left her confused.  “But you aren’t part of the mafia, like you said.  So why would he know about you?” 

He started laughing and the sick feeling increased.  He knelt down and had grabbed her chin.  Her head jerked, but firm fingers kept her looking at him.  She shuddered.  “You really don’t know anything, do you?”

Krystal blushed.  The next second her eyes went wide.  “Your eye is red.  Well, the one is.” 

Mukuro dropped his hand.  His smile was one.  She backtracked.  “I mean….it’s not bad.  I just hadn’t noticed before and actually, it looks really pretty.  I mean, it’s Jayhawk colored!”  Krystal paused and then clapped her hands together.  “Oh my God!  They’re Jayhawk colored!” 

Her excitement faded as he stared at her. 

“Kufufu, move aside and let me finish.”  His voice was emotionless, devoid of the amusement that had been there before.

“No.” 

“If you don’t move I will take you down with him.”

“No.  You aren’t doing this anymore,” Krystal said sharply, surprising both herself and Mukuro.  Her nails dug into the floor and she pressed her toes down.  “What did the mafia do to you that makes you feel the need to go this far?  Hibari has no connection to this.”

Mukuro tilted his chin up a little bit.  “Do what you like with the boy.  I have no more to say.”

Krystal huffed and walked rapidly in front of him.  “You’re not leaving til I have an answer.” 

She opened her mouth and stopped.  His glare had captured her attention again.  “Does it have to do with your eye?”  Her hand brushed the faint scar above her own.  It was faded and smooth now. 

When Mukuro walked around her, she didn’t say a thing.  She watched as he turned the corner.

*****

Krystal had turned back to clean up Hibari but she didn’t want to move him.  His ribs and arm didn’t feel right.  They were probably broken.  Hard to tell without him being awake.  Using some damp fabric, she’d done her best to wash off the blood.  Bile rose in her throat, but she pushed it back.  Nobody else would care for him.  Before leaving, she wrapeped him up and tried to make him comfortable.

Krystal washed off her hands and shivered.  How her mom had stood being a nurse, she would never know.

She’d decided to rest in the bowling alcove, away from other people.  Much to her annoyance Ken came in a few minutes later with Mukuro.  Not bringing attention to herself, she watched them set it up for a game.    

Krystal glared at him, but couldn’t hold it.  It too much effort.    

“So what’d you do with him--?”  Ken’s words drifted up to her.  She closed her eyes.  “The Nami high boss.  What was it, sparrow?  Duck?”  Krystal huffed slightly.  She may not like him, but she got what he was saying.

“I took him out.” Mukuro said simply.  “We’ll leave him unconscious until we’ve gotten all the teeth.”

Krystal’s eyes flew open.  _‘TEETH?!’_

“Hyaaaa~~~  So he’s still alive~~~~?  That guy.” 

An idea passed through her mind and she stopped listening.  Instead she stared at Ken.  If Mukuro’s eye was part of why he was doing this, could that have anything to do with how Ken was able to turn part animal?  Krystal felt a little pang of jealousy thinking about Ken.  She’d always wanted to be able to turn into an animal.  Or even part.  Her tongue ran over her own canines remembering Ken’s.

 _‘Forget about that,’_ Krystal told herself.  She needed to focus on what they were saying.


	10. The Idiot

Krystal hopped down from the alcove after they had left.  She hadn’t found out that much in terms of information.  Instead, she turned on her mP3 player and jammed out. 

Her legs kicked and she closed her eyes.  Singing with the music, it was almost easy to forget where she was.  Her feet provided percussion as she jumped around.

Smiling, Krystal opened her eyes and froze.  She lowered her foot mid dance and stared.  Mukuro stood in the corner with a slight smirk. 

_‘Oh, bleep.’_

“Uh…..how long have you been standing there?” she asked nervously while blushing.  Her fingers played with the end of her shirt.  

“Long enough,” Mukuro said.  “I would suggest you stop for now,” he continued, the smirk finally slipping form his face.

“What do you mean stop?  I need my music.”  Krystal slipped off her headphones.  Her eyebrows furrowed as she glared at him.

“I think we might be having some visitors today.”

Krystal cocked her head to one side.  A chirp slipped out and her hands flew to cover her mouth.  Mukuro had already left. 

Krystal shrugged and slowly wandered out of the room.  Without music, she didn’t know what to do.  As she wandered around she could hear noise from the theater room so she headed in that direction. 

Rounding the corner she saw Chikusa collapsed on the floor and Ken who looked miffed about something.  Mukuro was expressionless as he looked at them.  Her eyes went wide.

“What happened?!” Krystal asked kneeling by Chikusa.  He was burned and bloody.  She turned to look at Mukuro.

“It seems Chikusa had some trouble with the third ranked.” 

“Third…ranked?”  Krystal propped Chikusa up against the wall.  Why did she half to deal with more blood?

“His name is Hayato Gokudera.”

Krystal’s head whipped around at the name.  “Gokudera?!”  She looked back at Chikusa.  _‘That explains the burns…’_  

Some part of her was saying not to bother healing him.  He’d attacked her friend.  But another was saying that she should heal him.  They still deserved some treatment.  Neither had harmed her or Fuuta since they’d been here.  Chikusa was quiet and Ken was just an angry goofball.  In ways, they reminded her of Sakura and herself.

“I’ll be right back.”  Krystal ran out of the room and got a cool and wet cloth.  She wasn’t sure what to do exactly, but she could at least get the blood washed off.  _‘Oh, the blood….’_   The blood alone should have stopped her…

She could hear Ken say something to her as she started cleaning some of the blood off Chikusa, but she ignored him.  She had to concentrate on not getting sick. 

“Why would help your enemy?” Mukuro asked. 

“Hmm?”  Krystal didn’t turn to look at him.  “I don’t like seeing people hurt whether or not they’re my enemy.  I couldn’t just leave him.”

“The sight of blood makes you sick.”

 _‘He picked up on that?’_   “Yeah, so what?  Someone needs to take care of him and it’s obvious you two won’t.”  She paused.  “Besides, my mom was a nurse.  I could never be in a medical profession, but it seems like I have the same instinct.” 

Krystal waited expecting to hear a response, but there wasn’t one.  She didn’t glance back to check but instead finished up and washed off.  When she came back, Ken was gone.  Deciding not to become involved again she left to wander around the grounds.  She felt a lot more comfortable doing so since Hibari had taken out the other Kokuyo students.  

Krystal wandered out and thought she heard voices near the gate.  “Well, he said not beyond the gate so….”  Krystal bounded down, sliding on the dirt.   She tried to stay in the bushes so whoever they were wouldn’t see her.  It might be Ken doing something she could tease him about later.  She shook her head.  _‘He’s like an overgrown child.’_

As she got down near the bottom there was a crash.  Krystal took off towards the sound and saw Ken.  He seemed to have something, or someone, and with another crash the other person crashed through the ground.  Ken eagerly leapt in after.  Krystal found herself holding her breath.  A group of people gathered around the hole. 

Krystal quickly looked for a way to the bottom.  Running around the other side, she found a small tunnel that might lead to it.

“What’s that—!  There’s a weird animal down there!”

 _‘That would be Ken they’re talking about.’_ Making it through the small space she looked out into the open area. A figure crouched in the light though their back was to her. 

“What!!  Then Yamamoto--!” 

 _‘Yama-?  That’s Yamamoto!  Then that means..’_   Krystal looked up.  There was Tsuna, Gokudera, Sakura, Bianchi, and Reborn.  Her heart warmed.  They’d come.

“Yamamoto, be careful down there!!  There’s a beast or something in the shadows!!” Krystal looked up at Tsuna yelling. 

“Welcome, Yamamoto Takeshi.”  Ken said. 

Krystal could see him quite clearly, but she’d always been able to see well in dim lighting.  She leaned forward and ignored the stones and dirt digging into her palms.

Ken moved forward, continuing to talk with Yamamoto.  She stomach twisted.  _‘Don’t get hurt.’_ She thought.  It was then she realized that she wasn’t sure who she was talking about.  Krystal could hear the surprise of her friends about Ken up top. 

Krystal sighed and facepalmed as Yamamoto laughed at Ken’s comment.  She was about to tell him this is not the time to laugh but stopped.  What would they think if they knew she’d been here all week by choice?  

This was the first time that Krystal had seen him fighting someone other than herself.  She took the time to observe and felt that jealous bit grow again.  What she wouldn’t give to have those abilities.

“Is he cursed?!  Some sort of curse--?!” she heard Gokudera yell from above.  That got her thinking about how he was like this again.  A curse was impossible, but who knew… 

As Ken explained how it worked Krystal’s eyes went wide.  _‘That’s really all there is to it?!’_   Her jaw tensed and she bit her wrist in frustration. 

“Ken, you jerk!!  Why didn’t you tell me how that works earlier?!”   Krystal shouted.  Eyes wide, she retreated far enough back that they couldn’t see her. 

“Hya~~?  You didn’t ask!” He yelled back. 

Krystal bit her lip to keep from responding as an embarrassed blush spread across her cheeks.  She could just barely see Yamamoto looking in her direction.  He shouldn’t be able to see anything.  There were comments from above, but she couldn’t quite hear them. 

“What’cha looking at?” Ken said attacking Yamamoto.  For once she was grateful for his hot head.  It had kept her from being exposed.  She slipped forward a little more to be able to see what was going on.

Krystal let out a small huff when she heard that Yamamoto still thought it was a game.  _‘You wonderful fool….’_

She was distracted by Tsuna falling from the roof.  _‘You twit!’_ she screamed internally, her hands gripping the dirt tight as Ken turned his attention to Tsuna.  Her chest warmed as Yamamoto upped his game there. 

Krystal hugged the wall now that Ken was out of the picture.  There was no one to stop them from coming over and finding her. 

She started to come out once they had gone back up.  Krystal kept to the shadows since she could still hear them above.  She had to make sure Ken was alright.  That was when he started yelling at them.  Krystal made a run for her hole and hid there.  _‘Idiot!   By Jove, you’re an idiot!’_

A scream was caught in her throat when Bianchi dropped the rock on him.  Once the sound of their voices disappeared, she quickly moved the rock off him.  “I don’t know why you started yelling at them, but you’re an absolute idiot.  And you’re lucky you’re still here.” 

“Eeeeh~~ What do you care?” Ken asked getting up.

“I shouldn’t, which is why I’m leaving here.  I’ve seen to it you’re ok.  I’ve done my duty.  Good bye.”  Krystal walked back to the tunnel. 

“Hey!  Wait up!”  She could hear Ken following behind her.

“I’m not waiting for you.” Krystal said with a slight smile.  _‘Definitely an overgrown child.  Or puppy.’_   She glanced back.   _‘Yeah, puppy fits better.’_


	11. Help!

Krystal headed back to the main building to gather her stuff up.  _‘I get to go home!’_   She began skipping as she gathered everything and dumped it in the back of the theatre room.  She immediately left again to go find her friends.

She ran down the stairs to the second floor.  Rounding the corner out of the bowling alley she crashed into somebody.

“AAHHHH!!”  the person yelled as they fell. 

“Tsuna are you alright?!” Sakura asked.  

“I’m so sorry!” Krystal said jumping off and letting him up.  “You’re alright aren’t you?” 

Tsuna rubbed the back of his head.  “Oww….that hurt.”  Then he looked up, “Krystal?!”

Sakura was staring at her in shock too.  “What are you doing here?” 

Krystal looked away and laughed as she fidgeted.  “I kinda got into trouble that night when I was playing with Fuuta…So….”  She looked back at them slowly.

“I’m glad you’re ok!” Tsuna said happily. 

“You left a note saying you were staying with a friend.  Did they make you do that?” Sakura frowned.

“Ah…..n-no….   That was actually my idea.  I wanted to keep an eye on Fuuta so I made a deal and…sorry…”

Krystal squeaked as she was suddenly hugged by Sakura.  “Well, we’re glad to have you back.  Somehow things still seem quiet without you.” 

“Thanks.”

“How do we get to the third floor?” Reborn asked suddenly killing the mood.

“Third floor?  This way!”  Krystal leapt ahead back the way she came motioning for them to follow.  She ran ahead all the way up.

“Come on!” she called from the top of the stairs and took off again once she could see them. 

“Krystal, you’re too fast.”

“I’m happy.” Krystal clapped her hands as she ran into the theatre room.  Without paying attention she ran forward and made to leap on the couch.  Mid leap she realized she was leaping right by Mukuro. 

“Meep!”  Her foot slipped as she tried to turn as she landed.  She fell off the side and crashed on the floor.  She squeaked upon landing.  “God that hurt.” Krystal frowned and rubbed her lower back gingerly.  She started to stand, but it hurt so she continued sitting.  _‘Bleep, that will be sore for a while.’_

“I’m very happy that we could meet again,” Mukuro said.

Krystal looked back about to ask who he was talking to when she heard Tsuna in the doorway, “Aaaah!  It’s you!  Is this where you’re being held?”   Tsuna clarified as Bianchi, Sakura, and Reborn entered.  “Aah, I met this person in the forest earlier.  He’s a Kokuyo student and a hostage.”

“You’re an idiot, Tsuna!” Krystal said from her spot on the floor. 

“Huh?”  Tsuna seemed to just notice she was there.

“Please come forward slowly.  I would like to take some time to get to know you better, 10th boss of the Vongola.”  Mukuro ignored her.

“Eh?  How did you know I’m Vongola…?” 

Krystal sighed.  “Is it somehow not obvious?!” She said trying to rein in her temper.  “Or are you just blind?!  Who else did you think was Mukuro?!”

“Kufufu.  That’s right.  I’m the real Mukuro Rokudo.”

“WHA….?!?!”

That’s when Tsuna and the others noticed Fuuta to the side.  Krystal blinked.  Somehow she hadn’t noticed him.

“Fuuta!  You s-scared me.”

“Looks like you’re alright.” Bianchi said as Sakura smiled.

“I searched for you after we met earlier.  It’s dangerous here.  You better step back.”  Tsuna said.

Before anyone could react Fuuta held up what looked to be a sai to Krystal and stabbed Bianchi.

“Bianchi!” Tsuna, Sakura, and Krystal yelled in unison. 

“What are you doing Fuuta?” Krystal stood and immediately almost fell again from her back.  She crouched down, her mind racing.  Fuuta had never acted like this before.  He’d acted a little strange at times, but otherwise just seemed like a scared little kid.

“Bianchi!  Bianchi, hold on!” Tsuna yelled as they gathered around her.  “Fuuta, what are you doing?” Tsuna yelled as he looked back at Fuuta.

Tsuna screamed as Fuuta started to attack him.  “Hey Fuuta!  Oi….what’s wrong with you?  Put that dangerous thing down!” 

“His mind is being controlled,” Reborn stated.

“No….No way!   Wake up!  Fuuta!!”

Krystal looked at Mukuro.  He seemed happy.  _‘Mind control isn’t real, is it?’_ she thought.

Krystal tensed.  Her whole body shook.  Any time she tried to move though, sharp pain shot up her back.  Her throat rumbled with a growl. 

Tsuna charged at Mukuro and then tripped. 

“Krystal!”  She looked at Sakura in surprise.  “You’re right there!” 

Krystal opened her mouth in surprise.  It had crossed her mind to attack Mukuro, but...  She looked at Mukuro.  From her position she could reach back and touch him if she wanted.  He was laughing and distracted by Tsuna’s fall.  Despite the pain, it wouldn’t take much.  Just a-

Mukuro glanced at her and that was enough to stop her.  He knew that she could, but he also knew that she wasn’t a complete idiot.  She’d hadn’t been able to take him by surprise the whole time she’d been there.  If Krystal attacked him now, he’d stop her immediately. 

“It’s not your fault.”  Krystal looked back to Tsuna.  Fuuta had just stopped attacking him.  “None of it is your fault.  We’re all on Fuuta’s side.  You don’t have to worry about a thing.  Come home with us.”

Her eyes went wide.  _‘Was Fuuta really worried and upset about that the whole time?’_

“Tsuna-nii….”  Fuuta collapsed.

“Fuuta?!  Oi!!”

Krystal’s eyes went wide.  “Fuuta!  Are you ok?” 

“Now see, you’ve gone too far.  Looks like he’s suffering from a clash of wills.” Mukuro said. 

 _‘Why couldn’t I do more to help?  Why didn’t I realize?’_ A cold tingle filled her nose and eyes.  Fingernails dug into the palm of her hand with frustration. 

“No way!  Fuuta?!” 

Krystal tried not to listen as Mukuro speaking.  She was watching Fuuta’s chest rise and fall, just in the same manner as it had earlier.  All those times Fuuta was sleeping…Was it because of Mukuro torturing him?

“Our plan was a huge success.  The Vongola is standing before me right now.”  Krystal went pale.  _‘Who is this guy?  How could I stand to be by him and…’_  She shook her head. 

“How could you do this to innocent Fuuta…” Tsuna said before bursting, “Rokudo Mukuro, what do you think people are?!?!”

“Toys….I suppose.”  Mukuro said with a smirk.

“Damn you…you bastard!!” 

Tsuna charged Mukuro with the whip.  “Do you really think you can go hand-to-hand directly against me?”  Mukuro had stood up and in the blink of an eye he had moved past Tsuna.

“Tsuna!” Sakura and Krystal yelled at the same time.  Somehow Mukuro had hit him multiple times in that short instant. 

Krystal looked around for anything she could use as a weapon.  Reaching around she sat up while pressing on her back.  She had felt worse.  This wouldn’t stop her.  _‘Sword, knife, preferably something short or long.  Sais or a trident and net.  I’ve fought that way before….’_ She stopped and looked at Fuuta.  _‘Didn’t he have a sai before?’_

Krystal looked around and noticed that Mukuro was picking it up and attaching it to….a trident.  She started thinking of plan B while silently cursing him.  _‘Why do you have to use my favorite weapon?!  I’m definitely not as skilled as Yamamoto with sword, but….’_  

Krystal shifted over to her bookbag.  She pulled out her pocket knife and started cutting off portions of the curtains.  The large square felt heavy in her hand.  _‘If I can get close enough to get his trident caught on this and…pillow!’_   She grabbed a pillow from the couch and pocketed her knife.  Turning, she watched Mukuro.

Sakura was attending to Bianchi and Tsuna was screaming and looking like he had gone crazy.  Sakura suddenly looked like she was trying to keep her balance.  The floor seemed to be breaking, but it was obvious it wasn’t real.  It was almost layered on top of the floor.

Then Reborn smacked Tsuna.

“Ouch!!  What are you doing Rebo-?”  Tsuna looked around wildly.  “What-?  The…The floor has returned to normal…”

“What you saw was an illusion.” Reborn said. 

“Eh?!  I-I-Illusion?!” 

Krystal tried not to laugh at his expression.  This was a serious situation.  The more she tried to be serious the more she found herself laughing.

“Kufufu.  Not bad.  So, you saw through it, Arcobaleno.”  Mukuro looked her way.  “And it seems you did too.” 

With the attention her way she couldn’t control her laughter and distinctly realized she must seem crazy.  “I don’t….ha, ha….I don’t know what’s s-so special about that.” 

Mukuro turned back to Tsuna.  “That’s the first state, the state of Hell.  A skill to break one’s mind through an endless nightmare.”

Krystal regained control of herself and slowly started moving to the other side of the stage as they talked.  Finally behind Mukuro, she saw Tsuna surrounded by snakes.  _‘He just gets more interesting.’_

Krystal stopped moving forward as a tonfa flew from the doorway with a bomb to follow.  She used the curtain part to cover herself. 

“Sorry I’m late.” 

Krystal peeked out and moved the curtain down.  Through the smoke, Gokudera and Hibari emerged in the doorway.


	12. Turn Of Events

“Hibari-san!!  Gokudera-kun!!” Tsuna yelled happily.  “Both….Both of you…”

Sakura looked up happily from where she was by Bianchi.  “Gokudera!” 

“Do you understand, Mukuro,” Reborn said.  “There’s no reason why I would be bringing up Tsuna alone.”

“Now we’re even,” Hibari pushed Gokudera off of him.  Krystal gasped slightly.  She couldn’t believe he was still moving.  When she last saw Hibari….

“What’s this?  One after another from the outfield?”  Mukuro mocked.  “What is Chikusa doing down there, hm…?”

_‘Chikusa?  What does he mean?’_

Gokudera laughed harshly.  “If you mean the spectacles freak, he’s on the lower floors with the animal freak having a nice break together.”

Krystal dropped her stuff and started heading for the door, not caring what was going on.     

“I see.” She could hear Mukuro’s sigh behind her. 

Sakura grabbed her arm as she passed.  “Where are you going?” 

“Ken and Chikusa.  If they’re hurt…”  Krystal shifted her feet.  She could hear Tsuna praising Gokudera and Hibari, but it didn’t seem right to do that. 

Sakura looked at her strangely.  “Krystal, they’re the ones who put Ryohei in the hospital and attacked Gokudera and Yamamoto.  If it hadn’t been for Tsuna earlier-“

Krystal was surprised about Ryohei, but cut her off short.  “I know.  I saw Ken and Yamamoto fight earlier.  I was there.”  Krystal got to see Sakura look shocked again.  “Don’t try to-“

This time Krystal was cut short by Hibari attacking Mukuro.  She turned to see them fighting and she sweatdropped.  _‘Yeah, hitting him with a pillow really would have helped…’_   They were moving at an incredibly fast pace. 

She looked back at Sakura and shook off her grip.  “I don’t care what happens right now.  I don’t want anyone to get hurt.” 

“Krystal they’ve hurt our friends!”

She deflated a bit.  “I know.  But I can’t help it.  To a degree I understand them…”

Sakura was looking at her like she’d grown a second head.  “Understand them?  Are you crazy?!  Mukuro’s murdered people.  He’s destroyed whole families.  The mafia exiled him because he’s so bad.”

Krystal’s eyes went wide.

“You haven’t heard this before have you?”

Krystal shook her head.  Her body felt cold and heavy.  “No, but I don’t care.”

Their attention was taken by Hibari hitting Mukuro and sending him flying.

“Mukuro!” Krystal said in surprise.  This had not gone how she thought.  And how was Hibari even moving?!  Krystal ran over to Mukuro to see if he was alright.  She ignored Sakura yelling for her to come back.

“It’s finally over.” 

Tsuna looked at Reborn in surprised joy.  “It’s….It’s over…  Now we can go home!!”

“However, you wonderfully useless against Mukuro.”

Krystal sighed in relief.  Though he’d been hit pretty hard, he wasn’t dead.  She sat back by him finally relaxing just in time to see Hibari collapse again.  She gave a lopsided smile.  “Sorry Hibari, I’ve already done what I could for you.” 

“We must hurry and take everyone to the hospital!!”  Tsuna said looking at Bianchi and Fuuta.

“Don’t worry about that.  The Vongola’s best medical team is on their way here.” 

“That’s good to know,” Gokudera said.

“Gokudera-kun you should take it easy for a while,” Tsuna said motioning for him to slow down. 

“Yeah, Gokudera.  You should relax.” Sakura added in. 

Suddenly Mukuro was sitting up.  “There’s no need for a medical team.”  He pointed a gun at them, “Because there will be no one left alive.”

Krystal didn’t know what to do as Gokudera stood in front of Tsuna protectively.  “Bastard!”

“Gokudera-kun!!”

“Kufufufu.” 

Krystal found herself holding her breath as he pointed the gun at himself.

“Arrivederci.”

Krystal screamed as the gun went off and turned away.  Memories flashed through her mind and she curled up.  Her hands covered her mouth.  That had been the last thing she wanted to happen. 

Everyone else stared at him in shock.  Then Gokudera spoke, “….He really did it.”

“How could he…” Tsuna started.  “Why…did he do something like that?”

Krystal shook her head and tried to relax but her body trembled.  Tears streamed down her face. 

“He probably thought he’d rather die than be captured alive.” Reborn said.

“How depressing…” Gokudera said.

Tsuna behind him looked a little sick. “What’s this feeling….”

 “It’s a shame we couldn’t capture him alive, but there’s nothing we can do about it now.” Reborn said.

“Ah, Bianchi be careful!” Sakura said with her hand on Bianchi’s shoulder.

Bianchi was sitting up.  “Finally.  We’ve defeated Mukuro.”   She accidentally scratched Sakura’s foot with the top of the trident as she righted herself.  “Sorry, Sakura.”

“I’ll survive.” Sakura said.  “Just be careful.”

“Sis!” Gokudera said.

“Thank goodness!  Bianchi has regained consciousness!” Tsuna said.

“Take it easy,” Reborn said.

Krystal looked over at Bianchi as she wiped her tears away.  _‘They moved on so quickly despite Mukuro….’_   She edged away from his body.  _‘He’s still human and it’s terrible he died.’_

“Gokudera-kun!!  Don’t go closer!”  Everyone looked at Tsuna, surprised at his outburst. 

“What’s wrong?  Tsuna, lend me your shoulder, too.” Bianchi looked up at him hopefully.

“Eh?!  Ah…..Okay….”

“It’s alright, Boss,” Gokudera started, “My injuries aren’t that serious.  I’m ok.”

“But…”

“Sorry about this Hayato,” she said quietly as Gokudera reached out to help her.

“Give me your hand,” Gokudera extended his down.

Suddenly Bianchi reached up and scratched his cheek.

“Wha-What are you doing?!” Gokudera yelled falling back.

“Bianchi!” Sakura yelled in a slightly scolding tone.

“Oh, my!  What’s with me…!”  She looked surprised with herself.

“Bian….!” Tsuna stopped short for some reason.

“What are you doing, Bianchi?”  Reborn bopped her nose.  “Get yourself together.  The one you just cut is your little brother, you know?”

“What have I done…” Bianchi moved quickly and tried to stab Reborn, “I wonder!”

Tsuna screamed and Sakura moved back quickly. 

“Reborn!” Gokudera yelled.

“This is going to be trouble,” Reborn landed lightly away from her. 

“Could it be…the mind control?!” Tsuna asked. 

“No.  It’s different.  It looks like she’s being possessed by something.”

“Then it’s a curse?”  Krystal would have normally laughed at Gokudera’s expression as he said this, but she wasn’t in the laughing mood. 

“Is there such a thing…” Tsuna’s voice trailed off skeptically.

“But, it’s reality now,” Reborn said finishing the discussion.

“What are you saying?” Bianchi asked.

There was a silence before Tsuna, “Ro-kudo…Mu-kuro…?”

“Kufufu,” Bianchi laughed, “And so, we meet again.”

Krystal’s eyes went wide as everyone else freaked out. 

“It’s…It’s him!!”  “An evil curse!”  “What the heck?!”

“That’s impossible.  It shouldn’t exist.” Reborn said remaining calm. 

“But,” Tsuna looked over at Mukuro, Krystal refused to look.  “He really is dead!!”

Bianchi/Mukuro stood up.  “Kufufu.  There are still things I have to do.  So, I have returned from the depths of hell.”

“It’s…It’s really true…” Gokudera said.

“How can that be….” Tsuna was freaking out again.

“Not what I think about it….” Reborn said, “Could it really be…”

“Boss, leave this to me!!”  Gokudera said.

“But, our opponent is…”

“Rin!  Byou!  Tou!  Sha!” Gokudera chanted with some weird hand movements. 

Sakura, Tsuna, and Krystal all looked at him like he’d gone insane, but then Bianchi looked like she was choking.

“Kai!  Jin!  Retsu!”

“It’s…It’s having an effect!!” Tsuna yelled. 

“What the hell?” Krystal asked.  “Since when does his occult junk work?”

“Bianchi!”  Bianchi/Mukuro collapsed.

“What…What now…” Tsuna said.

“Even if it’s an act,” Reborn said, “I have no idea.”

“Bi-Bianchi?” Tsuna asked.

“Let me handle it ok?” Gokudera asked happily.

Tsuna looked back grateful.  “Gokudera-ku--- Mukuro!!”

Tsuna screamed and moved out of the way as Gokudera/Mukuro stabbed where he had been.

“Now, it’s Gokudera-kun!!”

“You really surprised me.”  Gokudera looked creepy.  “This is a first.  No human has ever been able to sense with one look when I am possessing another…..you truly are absolutely fascinating.” 

“How….How could this have happened?!?!” Tsuna asked looking terrified.

“There’s no mistake.  He pretended to commit suicide by shooting himself with that bullet.”  Krystal looked over at Reborn as he spoke and then at Mukuro.

_‘Then that means that he isn’t really…’_

“The possession bullet should have been forbidden,” Reborn continued, “Where did you get it from?”

“Possession bullet….?”  Tsuna seemed to have calmed a bit.  “What…What are you saying?”

“Kufufufu, so you’ve noticed.  Yes, this possession is due to that special bullet.”

Surprisingly, Krystal wasn’t as upset with the fact that he had possessed her friend.  She didn’t even find it all that creepy.  She was more upset over the fact that he was pretending to be dead.  Krystal kicked Mukuro gently in annoyance.

“Eh?  You mean, a special bullet like the Dying Will bullet and the Lament bullet?” Tsuna asked.

“That’s right.  The possession bullet, as its name implies, is a bullet which allows someone to possess another person’s body and control it with his will.”

“What?!” Tsuna said in shock.

“That’s terrible…” Sakura added looking slightly sick and angry.

“It’s said that this special bullet was discovered by the Estraneo Family.  To handle it well requires not just a very strong spirit, but also a virtuous affinity with the bullet.  But, the use of it was so inhuman that the mafia world declared it forbidden, and destroyed its manufacturing instructions.” 

“It cannot be compared to mind control.” Gokudera/Mukuro said.  “It’s not control, but complete possession—from the top of his head to his toes, they’re all in my power.  In other words, this body---“ Mukuro dragged Gokudera’s thumb across his throat, “ **is mine**.”

“Stop it!” Tsuna, Sakura, and Krystal all shouted at once. 

“You were able to ensnare a man like Lancia because of this bullet too.  Why do you have this thing?”  Reborn asked.

_‘Lancia?  What is he talking about with him…?’_

“Because it belongs to me….that’s enough talking.”  Gokudera/Mukuro said,  “Come, it’s your turn to be possessed next, Vongola 10th boss.”

“Wha..M-ME?!”

“So that was your real objective…” Reborn said.

“Kufufufu.  It’s not an objective, but a means.  Once I have the young mafia boss in my hands, my vengeance can begin.”

Krystal wasn’t very surprised though it was clear Tsuna and Sakura were.  She had already though it might be something like that.

“No way----I’m…I’m no good, no good!  I can’t do anything!!” Tsuna was completely losing it.

“Watch out for his sword.” Reborn said.  “If you’re cut by that, you will allow yourself to be possessed.” 

Sakura’s eyes went wide as she looked down at her scratch.  Krystal looked at her worried.  If he possessed Sakura…

“You know quite a bit.” Gokudera/Mukuro threw the sword before collapsing.

Bianchi/Mukuro caught it.  “That’s exactly right.  For example if I were to do this.”  They scratched Hibari.  Sakura was moving away from Tsuna.  “It’s like saying ‘I will possess this one’.”

Then Bianchi/Mukuro collapsed.  “No…No way!” Tsuna shouted as Hibari/Mukuro started to get up.  “He’s gotten into Hibari-san too!”

Hibari/Mukuro managed to hit Tsuna once before collapsing.  He crouched, but didn’t look like he could do anything more.  “This body can’t be used any more.  He could actually fight with this body.  What a frightening man, Hibari Kyoya…”

“Aaah!  Mukuro’s disappeared from him!  Hibari-san!!”

“Be careful.  He can still possess Gokudera, Bianchi, or Sakura.”  Reborn said.

“Sa-Sakura?!”  Tsuna looked over at her.  Suddenly Bianchi and Gokudera stood up too.  “Eh?! And Gokudera and Bianchi, too?!” 

The doors opened to show Ken and Chikusa.  Krystal went cold and moved a little closer to the wall.  “Sakura, Ken, Chikusa….” She whispered. 

“That’s--!!”

“Those two as well, hm.” Reborn stated.

“What--?!?!  Mukuro’s in five people…?!”

“I have never heard of simultaneous possession of five people at once.”

Gokudera/Mukuro smirked.  “That’s not all!”  Suddenly Gokudera/Mukuro was flinging dynamite out.  

Tsuna screamed and covered himself.

“He can use the skills of those he possessed as well?” Reborn asked.

“Kufufu,” Ken/Mukuro laugh as Chikusa/Mukuro finished, “You better worry about your own life, Arcobaleno.”

Reborn dodged and used his jacket to catch Chikusa’s needles.  This guy is really, seriously, overwhelmingly bad news.” 

“Kufufufu.”  The floor illusion was back.  Krystal still found it easy to see through even though she was on the floor now. 

Tsuna screamed as a pillar of fire erupted next to him.  Krystal didn’t even flinch at the one by her. “Help me---!”

“If possible, I would rather capture you unharmed.  It’ll be better if you just surrender yourself.” 

Krystal huffed.  “Like you cared about that before.” 

“Kufufufu.  Of course I did.”

Krystal jumped at hearing Mukuro so close.  She turned to see Mukuro crouching by her, blood still on the one side of his head. 

“How are you….?”  Krystal was very confused.  He was watching the fight intensely.  This close, she could see the bruises and cuts on him.  They were about the same in their build. 

 “I’m not going to help you.  Tsuna you better hurry and do something.”  Reborn leapt away from Ken/Mukuro.

“Wha-?!  STOP SAYING RIDICULOUS THINGS!!!!” Tsuna screamed as he fled the explosions.

Krystal stared at Mukuro who seemed to be enjoying himself again.  “Why aren’t you fighting?” she asked referring to him directly. 

“I don’t need to.” He said simply without looking at her.

“Wouldn’t this be over with quicker though?  And I’m not complaining, but why haven’t you possessed me?”  Krystal wasn’t sure if he could or not.  She always got random scratches, so she didn’t know whether to blame any of the ones she’d gotten that past week on him or not.

Mukuro looked at her amused.  “Would you like me to?” 

Krystal blushed and waved her hands.  “N-No….I was just wondering.” 

“Kufufufu.  You intrigue me almost as much as the Vongola.”

Krystal blinked.  As far as she knew, she hadn’t done anything special. 

Tsuna was screaming again after being hit by some of the dynamite.  “Tsuna!” she yelled worried about him.

“Come, we’ve talked more than enough.  Let’s end this.” Chikusa/Mukuro said.

“EEEEE!!!  He’s coming!!” Tsuna barely tried to move back as he charged. 

Suddenly Chikusa/Mukuro fell.

“This always happens,” Ken/Mukuro said picking up the trident top.  “How many times now?  It doesn’t matter if I can possess and control a body.  If the body has been broken, it still can’t move.”

“You mean…even if an injured body can’t move any more, you can still force it to move…?”  Tsuna said.

“That’s why you couldn’t possess Hibari.” Reborn said. 

“Kufufufu,” Chikusa/Mukuro started to get up again.  “Looks like Chikusa can still move a little, hm?”

“Aaah……he’s being forced to get up….  His injuries…!!” 

Krystal felt a little sick watching this.  This wasn’t right.

“Kufufu.  It’s fine.”  He stood up fully.  “Because I…can’t feel any pain at all.” 

“What!”  Tsuna was upset.  “What are you saying?!?!  That body belongs to your friend, doesn’t it?!?!” 

“Incorrect.  Since I’ve possessed him, this body is mine.  I can break or kill this body at my whim.”

Before Krystal knew what she was doing, she had turned and slapped Mukuro hard enough to turn his head.  She gasped.  She had never slapped someone before.  “I’m so sorry.  I didn’t….I mean…I’m not too sorry because that’s a terrible way to treat your friends, but…”

“Kufufufu.” Mukuro didn’t seem that bothered by it.  “That was unexpected.”

Krystal glared at him.  “How can you treat them like that?  After all they did for you!”

Mukuro smiled.  “They are simply my pawns.  Nothing more.”

Krystal’s jaw tightened and she turned back to the fight.

“I beg you!  Please stop!!  If you keep doing this they’ll die!!” Tsuna yelled.

“Kufufu.  I just remembered.  During the fight with Birds, you were ready to stab yourself in order to save your girlfriend, weren’t you?   Let’s go with that then.  It’s because of the naivety that I will possess you.”

“Birds?” Krystal said quietly tilting her head.  _‘What all happened that I don’t know about?’_

“Eh…” Tsuna looked worried.

“Is this ok?” Bianchi/Mukuro asked.

“If your friends are injured any further…” Sakura/Mukuro continued finished by Gokudera/Mukuro, “Stop escaping and start cooperating like a good boy, give yourself to the contract.”

“What…!  No…No way…”

“So you’re really wavering.” Ken/Mukuro said.  “Wherever you go, this world has no place for people like you.  You are not suited to be the Vongola 10th boss.”

Krystal started tuning out again.  _‘What does that say about me?  I’d be even worse than Tsuna…’_ She felt herself cave in a bit.  _‘I may get good grades and be the perfect student, but when it comes to real life I’m a failure…’_

Looking up she saw Reborn gripping Tsuna by his shirt.  “You, and nobody else, are the Vongola 10th boss.  If you vent your true feelings, that is the answer of a Vongola.”

“My…My true feelings?” 

“Kufufufu,” Ken/Mukuro laughed, “Even the home tutor has given up, eh?  His true feelings are ‘I want to run away’, aren’t they?  Or is it, ‘I can’t run away because of my friends’?” 

Krystal was inclined to agree with Mukuro. Tsuna was great, but never came off as particularly brave to her.

“…want to…” 

Krystal perked up trying to hear him.

“I want to defeat Mukuro.”

“Oya, that was unexpected.  But, let’s hear it at a more leisurely pace after I possess you.  After you bury your friends with your own hands.”

“I don’t want to lose…to such a cruel person….”  Tsuna looked up then, “Just you!!  I want to defeat you!”

Ken/Mukuro aimed at Tsuna, “This is the end.”

Everything stopped as Leon started glowing.  Krystal shielded her eyes from the bright light. 

“Vongola!  What are you doing?!”

“I’m not…Aah!  Leon?!!?” 

Krystal glanced up to see Leon shining near the ceiling.

“He’s finally emerged with his wings,” Reborn said.

“Wings?!”

“It was the same back then.  The time Dino became the “Prancing Horse”.”


	13. What Went Wrong?

"Oh I see,” Ken/Mukuro said, “Arcobaleno, this is your doing isn’t it?!”

“Nope.”  Reborn looked up at Leon.  “He is the shape-changing chameleon, Leon.  He emerges with wings when my students grow stronger.  He’s my partner.  In other words, when he goes into his cocoon stage, it’s a sign that my student will soon face a trial.”

“R-Really?!” Tsuna asked. 

“I wonder what’s going to happen…” Krystal mused looking at Tsuna.  Things had gotten stranger than she was used to.

“Kufufu…how interesting.”  Chikusa/Mukuro spoke.  “Here I was wondering what you were going to show me right at the end.  But it’s just your pet with wings?”  “You guys are really unique.  Kuhahahaha!”

“Is this a joke?!  What the heck is that?!”  Tsuna looked mortified.  “How can this have anything to do with the time Dino-san became the Prancing Horse?!”

“Just watch.”

At that moment Krystal took a closer look at Leon and it looked like he was chewing something.  _‘That is just plain creepy.’_

“It’s inflating?” Tsuna asked.

“He’s about to disgorge a new item.  Something especially for my student- that’s you- to use.”

“Ehhh?!  Item?”

“During Dino’s time, he disgorged the ‘Prancing Horse’s whip’ and Enzio.”

“EEHH?!   You mean Enzio is Leon’s child~~~?!”  Tsuna looked up at Leon stunned.

“I can’t put up with your games forever,” Ken/Mukuro said walking over.  “This little break is over.  Finish it up.”

“He’s coming.” Reborn said hitting Tsuna.

“As for this eyesore, this’ll do.”

“Leon!” Tsuna and Krystal yelled at the same time as Ken/Mukuro cut him in half.

“Not to worry.  Leon is a shape-changing chameleon after all,” Reborn said as Leon came back together.  “More importantly, something seems to have been ejected upwards.”

“Ah!”  Tsuna looked up.

“It looks safe and sound.  That’s the new item.”

“That’s….Huh?”  The item dropped in Tsuna’s face.  “These….These are…”  Tsuna picked them up.  “Woolen gloves~~~?!” 

Krystal laughed at Tsuna’s expression.  She couldn’t tell how gloves were going to be helpful, but she couldn’t help it. 

“How am I supposed to fight with these?!  Isn’t it supposed to come up with something like Enzio or a weapon?!  How does improving my hands’ blood circulation help?!?!”

“Who knows?  In any case, put them on.”

“What?!”

Ken/Mukuro attacked Tsuna, “Even at the end you guys are just so amusing.”

Tsuna screamed and raised his hand to protect himself.  Tsuna flew back as it hit.

“He repelled the attack?” Ken/Mukuro asked.

“S-Saved…” Tsuna said getting up.  “There’s something inside.”  Tsuna emptied out the glove.  “It’s a….bullet!!!”

“So that’s it…” Reborn smiled.  “Pass it here, Tsuna.”

“Eh?”

“I’m not going to let you,” Ken/Mukuro attacked Reborn.  Bianchi/Mukuro grabbed his arm only to have it break off and turn into Leon. 

“Ah!” Tsuna exclaimed as Reborn snatched it out of his hand.

“Got it!”  Reborn took a look at it.  “I’ve never seen this bullet before.  We’ll just have to shoot it and see what happens.”

Krystal’s eyes went wide.  “Are you insane?!” she shouted at Reborn.

“Ehh?!?!  Just….Just shoot it?!” Tsuna shouted.

“Not going to happen.”  Bombs appeared above Tsuna.  “What I said about collecting your body unharmed?  Forget that.”

“No way!!”  Tsuna screamed as the bombs went off.  Krystal didn’t even notice Reborn shooting the bullet as she yelled Tsuna’s name.

“You got him with the bombs” Sakura/Mukuro said.  Then Ken/Mukuro, “My, my, he’s seriously injured now.”

Krystal found herself frozen to the spot praying he was ok as the smoke cleared.  She went absolutely silent as she saw Tsuna laying there. 

“There doesn’t seem to be any effects from the bullet,” he continued.  “Even the special bullet has failed, eh?  That’s all then….the finale came too quickly in the end.  Come, let’s possess this body while it still has breath.” 

“Get up Tsuna,”  Krystal muttered anxiously.  “Come on.  I know you can, just get up.”

“Kufufufu,” Mukuro laughed by her.  “He’s beaten.  He won’t be getting back up.”

Krystal shook her head.  He had to get up.

“It seems to be an effect of the special bullet,” Reborn said.

“Eh?” Tsuna said softly.  For a second Krystal almost thought she had imagined it.  “Reborn!!”

“What you’re experiencing now is in real time.  You’re hearing rebukes from everyone.

“Rebukes…?!” 

“My rebukes don’t have to be said, right?” Reborn said.

“Oya, at a time like this, you still have spirit in your eyes?” Chikusa/Mukuro commented.  “But it’s still time to end the show.”  He went to stab Tsuna, “If you die here, it’ll be problematic for me!”

Krystal was surprised as Tsuna grabbed the top of the trident before it hit him.

“Wha..?!”  It seemed Mukuro was too as Tsuna broke off part of it.

“Mukuro, if I don’t defeat you, even if I’m dying, I will not give up!”

Krystal felt her jaw drop slightly at his change.

Tsuna stood up to face Mukuro.

“That aura on your forehead….I see…you were hit by the special bullet after all.  But you seemed a lot more fired up in the fight with Lancia.” Chikusa/Mukuro now seemed barely fazed.  “All I see is a person who’s lost his fighting will or a spirit which has sunk into despair.  Either way, you are not a match for my skills.”

Ken/Mukuro attacked Tsuna from behind.  Krystal was about to shout a warning, but Tsuna had already grabbed Ken/Mukuro and stopped him before throwing him off.

Krystal watched as the fight continued.  Tsuna was totally different and completely saw through Mukuro’s illusions.  _‘What happened?’_ Krystal though.  She glanced at Mukuro, but she couldn’t read his face. 

“Hyper intuition?” Krystal repeated as Reborn explained.  She’d always been skeptical about intuitions.  If it was real she had about zero, which had certainly gotten her into trouble at times. 

“Oya, I’m sure you haven’t forgotten about one little thing, right?” Gokudera/Mukuro said.  Then Sakura/Mukuro, “This is still your friend’s body. Can you really strike at me?  Kufufu.”

“Can you?” Bianchi/Mukuro attacked Tsuna followed by Gokudera and Sakura. 

“Sakura!” Krystal yelled wishing she could actually fight.  She hated watching Tsuna get beat up, especially when it was being done by her other friends.  Her hands balled up and her whole body tensed. 

Before she knew it though, Tsuna had successfully knocked them out without hurting them.  Krystal let out a sigh of relief. 

“Sorry about the wait…” Tsuna said before putting them down gently.

“Reborn, you look after them.” 

“Putting on airs now, are we?”  Reborn asked.

“And just forget about me…” Krystal muttered.   She stopped as Tsuna looked in their direction. 

“Show yourself Mukuro.  You’re still alive aren’t you?”

“Kufufu.”  Krystal watched as he got up and walked out past her.  “Your sense for battle has improved markedly.  I’ll give you that.  But, you’re pushing your luck if you think this is all it takes.”

Mukuro smirked as Tsuna didn’t say a word.  “Out of the 6 battle skills I possess, there’s one more I haven’t shown you, remember?”

“The fifth state,” Reborn said, “The state of humans.”

“Exactly,” Mukuro gestured, “This world that we’re living in is the state of humans.  Furthermore, among the 6 states, it is the ugliest and most dangerous world.”

_‘I doubt that.’_

Almost as if he read her thoughts he continued, “I am not being cynical.  Because I hate this world, I hate this skill the most.”  He started reaching for his eye.  “If possible, I would rather not have used it…”

Krystal looked at him curiously but then immediately looked away and tried to tune out though she couldn’t.

“The state of humans is truly the ugliest state.” 

Krystal closed her eyes tight and tried not to get sick as she heard the squishing sound.

“Because it’s also the most dangerous skill.”

The squishing sound had stopped, but she refused to look still.

“Beware of that black aura.” Reborn said. 

“So you see it?  When a fighter emits an aura from their fighting spirit, it represents a burst of their fighting spirit.  In other words, their strength.”

Krystal started slowly to look back.  Only to see Tsuna getting beat up.

“The difference between us is insurmountable.” 

Krystal was feeling grateful now that she hadn’t tried to fight him earlier.  She thought he could even beat Hibari if he went all out like this. 

The tide changed as Tsuna began attacking Mukuro.  Krystal watched as somehow Tsuna bent Mukuro’s trident.   He was moving faster than before and was causing Mukuro to lose it a bit. 

“Are you done warming up yet?” Tsuna asked.

Krystal watched expecting Mukuro to go after him and was surprised when Mukuro started laughing.  “All of this is a delightful miscalculation.  If I can get your body, I won’t even need to gather resources to cause a conflict within the mafia because I can barge directly into the family.”

“So your goal is a conflict within the mafia.” Reborn said.

Mukuro smirked, “Kufufu….No way.  I’m not petty like that. I plan to possess the VIPs from all over the world soon.”  He stood up.  “Then I’ll control them and change this ugly world into a pure and beautiful sea of blood.  A world war.  Does that sound too cliché?”

Krystal stared at him in surprise.  She knew he hated the mafia, but wasn’t expecting this. 

“But first has got to be the mafia, the annihilation of the mafia.”

“Why are you so fixated on the mafia?” Reborn asked.

“A grudge?”  Tsuna added.

“Oh I don’t plan to talk any further.  You will become part of me when I’m in my ultimate form. Just watch!!

Krystal watched as Mukuro’s illusion attacked Tsuna.  _‘Why isn’t he moving?!’_

“An illusion…” Tsuna said, “How can you..”

She watched as Tsuna was hit by the rocks hidden inside.  Krystal yelled as Mukuro attacked Tsuna again and almost ran out when Tsuna moved around behind Mukuro and hit him.  Mukuro hit the floor hard while Tsuna landed nearby. 

“Kufufufu.  So this is the 10th Vongola, the man who defeated me…” Mukuro said from the floor.  “Kill me.  If I were to be caught by you mafia, I would rather die.” 

Krystal stared at him in shock.  Despite his hatred of the mafia this didn’t seem like him.  Tsuna turned away from Mukuro.  “I can’t do that…”

“Tsuna!” Krystal yelled as Mukuro grabbed his wrists from behind.

“You’re risking your own life if you take things so easily.” Mukuro said.

“Mukuro, you…!”

Mukuro pulled his arms back farther.  “Oh, I know that your strange skill is due to the power of the flame on your hands.  If I seal your arms, there’s nothing to be afraid of.”  He then headbutted Tsuna. 

“Do you know why I had so many assassins target you?  It’s so that I can possess you after you draw out your abilities.  Good work.” Mukuro pulled back and kicked Tsuna, “You may rest now!”  Tsuna was sent flying towards the wall.

“Look at where I’ve thrown you.” 

Krystal saw the trident top sticking out of the wall.

“Kufufu…there’s no way you can defend yourself in mid-air.  You’ll die because of that ridiculous kindness of yours.”

“Go Tsuna.  Show the power of your X-gloves now.”  Reborn said. 

The flames on Tsuna’s gloves lit up again and he managed to stop and reverse the direction.

“What?!  Firing the flames backwards?!” Mukuro said. 

“Right.  He was able to position himself behind you in an instant because he used the impulse from the Dying Will Flame and moved at a rapid speed.” Reborn explained.

Tsuna grabbed him and rammed him into the theatre’s stage.  Krystal watched as Tsuna let go of him before running over.

“It has ended,” Reborn said as Tsuna returned to normal.

 “Yeah…” The flame disappeared from his forehead.

Krystal knelt by Mukuro.  _‘How much can he take?’_  she thought as he saw that he was somehow ok from being hit so hard. 

“Ah!  Everyone’s wounds!” Tsuna said looking around. 

Krystal was too tired to go around and check everyone, though she was worried.  Her nails had dug farther into her palm than she thought and left small crescent marks.  She looked over at Sakura.  Sakura had barely gotten hurt since she had only been possessed.  As far as Krystal knew, Sakura didn’t have any fighting knowledge, though she had the spirit for it. 

“Don’t worry,” Reborn said, “the medical staff of Vongola has arrived in the area.  It seems they made it in time to give Lancia the antidote for the poison.”

“Thank goodness…” Tsuna said before looking over at her and Mukuro.  “Mukuro…  He’s not dead, right?  He’s fine, right?”

Krystal huffed slightly.  “He’s fine somehow, idiot.  Though, no thanks to you.”  She looked back at Mukuro.  She may not like him much, but the last thing she wanted was for anyone to die.

“Geez, you’re too kind.” Reborn said looking at Tsuna who looked like he was about to walk over.

“Don’t get any closer byon!!” Ken’s voice echoed in the room. 

Krystal almost moved back from Mukuro herself she was so surprised at the voice.  _‘But he isn’t talking to you.’_   It had taken a while for her to pound it into Ken’s head that she wasn’t part of the Vongola, but he had eventually gotten it.  “You mafia, don’t touch Mukuro-san!”

Ken and Chikusa were still crawling towards Mukuro.

“Ken, Chikusa stop!” Krystal was worried about their injuries.  If Mukuro couldn’t have used them longer- She paused.  Maybe Mukuro stopped before they were at their worst because they were his friends.

“Eek!  Those guys!”  Tsuna said about to step back.

“Don’t be afraid, Tsuna.  They don’t have any strength left to walk.” Reborn said.

“W-Why….?  Why do you do so much for Mukuro?  You guys were possessed and used by Mukuro.”

“Don’t speak as if you know anything…” Chikusa said.

Ken tried to sit up.  “For us, this is nothing byon.  Compared to our suffering back then.”

“What time…?” Tsuna asked.

“What happened?  Speak.”  Reborn said.

Ken looked up with a sour laugh.  “We were guinea pigs for human testing by our own family.”

Krystal’s stomach dropped. 

“I thought so.  I was doubting but you guys are part of the Estraneo family that created the forbidden possession bullet, aren’t you?”

“Forbidden?” Ken repeated.  “You guys just labeled it like that for your own convenience.”

As Ken continued to explain what had happened Krystal felt even more sick.  _‘That’s the worst thing I’ve heard…’_   She covered her mouth with a hand as she looked at Mukuro.  _‘At least that explains why he hates the mafia so much.’_    Krystal couldn’t really blame him that much for all that happened. 

“We can’t have you destroy that!!” Ken shouted.

“But…” Tsuna looked down, “I, as well, can’t just stay quiet when my friends get hurt…since….” He looked back at them, “that’s the place for me to go.” 

Krystal could tell they were annoyed with Tsuna’s comment when the doors in back opened.

“The medical staff arrived,” Tsuna said.

Suddenly chains were placed around Mukuro’s, Ken’s, and Chikusa’s necks. 

“What?!” Exclaimed Tsuna and Krystal at the same time. 

“What a quick appearance.” Reborn said.

“W-Who are they?!?!” Tsuna said.

“Vindice.  They are the enforcers of the commandments on the mafia world and the try all those who cannot be tried by law.”

“What do you mean?” Krystal asked.  This….this felt wrong to her. 

“They’ll be tried for what they’ve done.  Who knows how long they’ll be locked up,” Reborn explained.

“Locked up?”  Krystal said softly.  No.  This was wrong.  Without thinking, Krystal turned to the Vindice and shouted.  “Stop!  What are you doing?!”

She could hear Tsuna shouting too, but didn’t hear Reborn. 

 _‘This is wrong….’_   Krystal found herself charging the Vindice.  Locking them up when they had such reasons…

“Krystal!!” Tsuna yelled. 

Krystal was hit immediately and knocked to the side.  She wasn’t even sure what hit her, but she was up and rushing them again.  She was completely focused on the Vindice.  If she could even get one of them free…  Krystal made a grab for the chains.  _‘They can’t do this!  What they did was bad, but they aren’t!’_

Krystal let out a growling scream as she felt a collar around her own neck.  Krystal tried to latch onto one of the others chains.  One….Just one…

She almost choked as she felt herself being dragged along too.  Instantly she felt her hands grab for her own.  Then everything went black.


	14. Naive

Krystal woke up to bright lights.  _‘Where am I?’_   She shielded her eyes and looked around. 

Cold metal froze her hands and explained her aching shoulder.  There were no windows in the small room.  The only things in it were the necessities.  She’d been asleep on the room’s small cot.

She blinked and looked to her right.  Her heart sunk when she saw the bars.  _‘How did I end up here?’_  

Her hand touched her neck.  The collar was gone at least, not that meant anything with the room she was in. 

Across from her room was just a blank grey wall.  _‘I really messed up this time.’_   The weight of what had happened was really sinking in.

Krystal’s eyes started to water, but she quickly wiped away any tears that were forming.  There wasn’t anyone around to comfort her anyway.  She’d be doing this alone.

Alone.  The word settled beneath her skin and threatened to break her.  She bit her lip.  _‘Don’t think about that,’_ she chided.  _‘You’ll be ok.’_

Krystal tried to think of something happy and started looking through the songs she had filed away in her head.  One song stood out to her.

“Sunshine go away today, I don't feel much like dancing  
Some man's come he's trying to run my life, don't know what he's asking.”

The words were soothing, but her voice began to crack as she continued.  The happiness of the song was lost in this dark place.

A figure approached her.  The person’s face was heavily bandaged and they wore a long black cloak.

“Come with me.”  Their voice chilled her bones.

 

Cautiously, Krystal slipped out through the now open door and followed. 

 

*****

Krystal was led to a large room with a single chair in the middle.  She shivered at the cold air in the room.  Her cell had been chilly, but not like this.  It seemed to penetrate beneath her skin.

 

Other Vindice lined the front area wall.  She slunk over and took a seat in the chair as instructed by the one who had led her in.  Krystal looked around and then decided it would be safest to just stare at the ground in the middle. 

 

She listened as they stated why she was here, but most of it just went in one ear and out the other.  Fighting back a yawn she tried to pay attention.  This was supposed to be important.

 

“What do you have to say in your defense?” they finished.

 

“Defense of what?” She asked inwardly cringing.  Now was not the time to get sassy.  “Me getting kidnapped or me attacking you?  Because honestly I was trying to protect Fuuta for that first part and for the second,” Krystal grinned, “I’d do it again.” 

 

 _‘What the hell did I just say?!’_   Krystal continued to smile at them while slapping herself inwardly.  But she couldn’t seem to stop herself.

 

“On top of that, I rather hope Mukuro breaks out again at this rate.  I’d much rather be on his side than yours.  What **are** you anyways?  Right now you’re reminding me of mummies.  I don’t suppose you guys are just a bunch of undead mummies, are you?” 

 

“Silence,” one of them said, startling her. 

 

“Hmm, I don’t know.  I’m not really good at the whole silent th-“ Krystal stopped as the one in the middle stepped forward.  She just noticed there was a tiny baby-sized version of the rest of them on their shoulder. 

“What’s your verdict?” they asked addressing the rest. 

Krystal closed her eyes expecting the worst.  The same was found by all of them.  Guilty.

The same one from earlier came forward to escort her out again, but this time they left through the door on the other side of the room. 

“Nice to see the justice system works here…” Krystal couldn’t resist muttering under her breath on the way out.  None of them said a word.

*****

The place he led her too was farther in.  There were actually people in these cells.  Krystal kept an eye out for Ken, Chikusa or Mukuro.  Heck, she’d even take Lancia if he was here. 

She never found any of them.  She sighed as they opened one of the cells and she went in.  Sassing back was the worst idea she ever had. 

Krystal was grateful that at least it was another blank wall facing her cell.  She didn’t want anyone else to see her when she slid against the wall in the back and silently cried.

*****

That night Krystal had a fitful sleep.  Her recurring nightmare was back again.

Krystal ran up a spiral staircase up to the study and opened the door.  From there she raced across the nursery to the next door into the next room.  She did this several times before opening a door and facing a wall.  There were two staircases that both went up.

She instinctively went up the one on the left.  It curved upward and she reached a circular room at the top.  In it was a bedroom with a hammock bed.  Her friend called out to her and waved, but Krystal kept going through the other door. 

Through this door a staircase led down.  She followed it and flung open the door at the bottom.  Running through the doorway Krystal stood at the top of a wooden porch in an impossibly huge room with an impossibly high ceiling.  She got the sense she was far below ground.

Krystal ran down the stairs of the porch and in the next second she had somehow crossed the room and was running up the stairs of the other porch and flinging open the door.  Her sense of urgency grew as she entered the pitch dark area.  She had almost caught up with the person ahead of her when….

The nightmare ended.  It always ended right before she saw the person. 

The scenery shifted to a pond at the bottom of a waterfall.  This was her happy place.  Krystal had managed to grab her dream and redirect it here.  She was rather good at that.  Even in the nightmares she was well aware she was dreaming and usually didn’t bother to change them. 

She took deep breaths even though she knew she technically didn’t need to breath since it was all in her mind.   Krystal sat back against a tree and laughed harshly. 

“Why do I need to have nightmares at night when I’m already in a nightmare during the day?” Krystal asked the sky in her dream.  Other thoughts and nightmares threatened to intrude but she pushed them to the back of her mind.

“Kufufufu.  What an interesting nightmare you had.”

Krystal started and turned toward the voice.  “Mukuro?”

Mukuro was leaning against the tree beside her.  “You have that one a lot.” 

It wasn’t a question so she didn’t bother answering.  “What are you doing here?  I don’t remember conjuring you up.”

“I’m just visiting.  You’re not mad at me for getting you thrown in Vendicare?”

Krystal looked at him strangely.  “What’s Vendicare?”

“That’s the name of the prison you’re in.  The Vindice run it.”

Krystal shook her head.  “No.  I’m not.  It’s not your fault anyways.  Apparently the Vindice don’t appreciate it when you attack them and then get sassy about it.”

“Oya?”

“I told them they were a bunch of nutjobs who would make a better career out of being movie monsters than running a prison,” she huffed, crossing her arms. 

It startled her again when Mukuro laughed. 

“What’s so funny?” she asked.   Krystal looked him up and down.  His outfit hadn’t changed from Kokuyo.  “I’m serious.  They would.  That and I don’t think they liked me saying that I’d side with you over them any day.”

Mukuro looked at her amused, “Why would you say that?  I hurt your friends.”

She smiled and looked at him.  “Perhaps, but I don’t think you’re a bad person.  Misguided, but not bad.”

“Still so naïve.”  Mukuro finally sat down by her.

Krystal laughed.  “Sometimes I don’t mind being so if that’s what you call it.  I prefer to say it’s realistic optimism.  Besides, you’re a walk in the park compared to my sister.  You have a sense of what’s right and wrong.  She just….Well, never mind.”

“Hmm?  You have a sister?”

“Technically half-sister, though I’ve always thought of her as my sister.  Heather is….um…pretty much the exact opposite of me if I’m being honest.  I have a hard time thinking of one thing we’ve ever agreed on.  That and she hated my mother.” 

Krystal sighed.  She didn’t want to say too much, but it was just spilling out.  “She doesn’t even seem to realize the stuff she does and says is horribly wrong.  At least you acknowledge it.  That and we heard from Ken and Chikusa about what happened to you guys.  I understand how you got to where you are.  Even if I don’t like what you’ve done…”

She glanced at him.  “I’m sorry.  I’ve said too much.”

“Kufufu.  I’ll have to punish them for that.”

Krystal’s eyes went wide.  “There’s really no need to!  I’m sure they said so because they thought it was best!”  She paused.  “How long do you think we’ll be in here for anyways?”

“Who knows? Some people have spent their whole lives in here.”

“What?!”  Krystal stared at him. 

Mukuro looked at her seriously.  “I didn’t come here to reassure you.”

“Like hell you didn’t!  Nobody says that to reassure someone!” 

“You’re a lot more outspoken here, aren’t you?”

Krystal blinked.  “I suppose so…   I think like this most of the time, but don’t always say what I’m thinking.  Speaking of which, this is real isn’t it?  I mean you being here.”

His mouth twitched into a smirk.  “Technically, this is your dream.”

She frowned.  “But somehow you’re in it, right? I don’t know how, but you are.”

Mukuro didn’t say anything but chuckled.  

That was when she woke up. 

Krystal stretched and yawned, swinging her feet off the edge of the cot.  _‘Why is it so cold in here?’_ she thought.

Then she noticed her breakfast on the floor.  It must have been put there while she was sleeping. 

She sat down by it.  The ground was colder than the cot and instantly woke her up.  “Soup and bread….wonderful.”  She poked the bread hesitantly before picking it up and taking a bite.

She swallowed it with a grimace.  _‘Stale and dry.  Just like I expected.’_  

Krystal looked at the soup, but couldn’t recognize anything in it.  Not that she was going to eat that anyways.  She hated soup of any kind. 

There was also a glass of water.  Her mouth was dry and she’d love something to drink, but she decided to put it off til later.  Drinking water when she first got up always managed to make her sick to her stomach. 

That’s when an idea popped up.  Passing by here she had noticed there was someone in the cell next door.  Even though she tried, she couldn’t remember what they looked like. 

Krystal took the soup and moved to the wall.  “Hello?” she called waving her hand through her bars and within a range that they would see.

“Hello.” Said the voice next door.  It was lower than hers certainly and also sounded dry.

“Ah.  I….I was wondering if you wanted to trade.”  She held out the soup within view.  “I don’t like soup much, but if you want I could trade you my soup for your piece of bread.”  This was reminding her of trading in the cafeteria back home. 

Krystal set it down in front of her neighbor’s area.  “Sure girly,” they said much to her delight.  The soup moved into the cell and Krystal waited a minute.  No bread.

“Umm….excuse me….” She said softly.  Maybe he just got caught up in the soup, but…

“What?”  the voice said harshly. 

Krystal shrunk a bit.  “What about the bread?”

“You seriously thought I would give you my bread?” the voice mocked.

“But….you said….”

“You have a lot to learn,” they said. 

Krystal quietly moved back to her spot and bit her lip.  She was a fool.  It wasn’t like she was going to eat the soup anyways, but it was still upsetting.  Mukuro was right.  She was too naïve. 

Krystal silently munched on her bread and then tried a sip of water.  It was warm, but she couldn’t complain.  It was better than nothing.


	15. Hold On

Sleep came happily to Krystal.  The day was mundane through and through.

Her dream settled in.  The calm of night had settled in here.  Stars glistened off the still pond.  Fireflies and the full moon provided the only light.

Krystal sat down at the base of a willow.  A cooling calm spread from her chest and through her stomach to her limbs.  Pulling her legs in, she gazed at pond. 

“Kufufu.   This has changed.”

Krystal didn’t turn towards Mukuro’s voice.   She would rather not have to deal with him. 

“This is unlike you.” 

“How in hell can you live this way?” she asked.  The food incident was still settling in her stomach.  Mukuro would laugh if he knew.

He still had that stupid smirk when she looked up at him.  “I could hear you singing earlier.”

That caught her by surprise.  “How?”

“Kufufu, sound carries here.  Why did you stop?”

Krystal frowned, her eyes flickering away.  “My neighbor didn’t like it.  They really hate me, I think.”

“There are few people who like anyone else here.”

Krystal’s stomach clenched.  The spikes of his hair waved in the breeze.  They appeared black in the dim light.

“Mukuro?”

“Hmm?”

“Could…Could you maybe teach me how to fight?” she begged.  “I don’t know what type of weapon suits me best, so we could try some out until I figure it out.  I don’t think Tae Kwon Do will work anymore.  At least not alone.  Please?”

Mukuro raised his eyebrows.  “And why would I do this?”

Krystal’s eyes fluttered to stare at the ground.  The stiches of her hem were reassuring.  “I want to get _out_ of here.  And when I do, I’m going to give this world _hell_.  It can’t stay _this_ unfair.”

A trident thudded on the grass.  “Get up.”

The cool metal bit into her skin.  Krystal sprung up and beamed at him.  “Alright,” she chirped.

~~~

Krystal panted.  Her fist pressed into moist earth.   She held a sai in each hand.  Her face was sore from grinning.

“I like this.”  Krystal straightened her back.  The sai fell from her hand as she attempted to twirl it.  “Though I need to practice.”

“You don’t want to try anything else?”  Mukuro walked towards her.

“Nah.”  Krystal shook her head.  “This will be better than my pocket knife.” 

“Or a pillow.”

Krystal blushed.  “Y-Yeah,” she chuckled, ducking her head.  “Thanks a lot though!”

“Now if only I could use illusions like you…,” she huffed.

“It’s possible.” 

Krystal jolted.  His permanent smirk was plastered on his face, a certain challenge in his eyes.  “What do you mean?  Like, I could learn it?  It’s possible?”

“You saw through my illusions.  No ordinary person could do that.”

Krystal shook her head.  “That was just luck.”

“I could train you.”

Her jaw fell open with a slight pop.  “You would…you would…you would really do that?  You would teach me.  How to create…How to create illusions.”

“Kufufu.  We’ll start training next time.”

Krystal’s face lit up.  “Good night, then, I guess.  Or morning.  I, uh, I don’t know what time of day it is anymore.” 

Mukuro faded out of view until he replaced with a tree.  She didn’t feel the metal of the sai as her nail tapped against it. 

*****

Each morning Krystal woke up and longed to go fall back to sleep.  Her dreams gave her a reprise where she could practice and experiment with her sais.  Mukuro returned there too.  Illusions she learned at night kept her sane during the day.  In her most recent development, she could create a small flower in her palm.

The small purple bloom dissipated with a growl from her stomach.  Her hunger pains bit at her insides and gnawed at her head.  She touched her arm slightly.  It trembled under her fingers. 

*****

Sleep was difficult to capture.  Through the night she woke up and curled up.  Her back ached on the hard cot.  Focus was necessary to stay in her dreams.  It was sheer luck that it hadn’t interrupted times with Mukuro.

Krystal widened her stance as she squared up against Mukuro.  Her arms rattled as her sais met Mukuro’s trident and bent under the weight.  Her knees crumpled.  The air was knocked out of her as she hit the ground.

Dropping her sais, she sat up and wrapped her arms around her legs.  The pressure of her knees on her head did nothing to deaden the ache.  It felt like ants were crawling on her arms and legs.

“What happened?”       

“I…I’m hungry,” Krystal chirped.  Her throat was raw and cracking.

“How long have you been like this?”  

Her head was lifted out of her legs and Mukuro’s fingers seemed to numb her forehead a little.  Krystal moaned.  “A while…”

Mukuro’s hand was gone and Krystal trilled.  There was a sigh.  Pain hammered her head as she looked up.  Mukuro shook his head.  “It will be alright.”

Krystal’s eyes fluttered.  The words floated in her head and stayed there. 

“Wake up and I’ll be there,” Mukuro said. 

The hunger had no problem pulling her out of the dream.  The cell was gray and barren.  It swayed like a ship’s hold. 

 _‘He lied…’_   Her eyes narrowed.  _‘He isn’t here…’_

A nearby alarm wailed.  Footsteps scurried down the hall, headed her way.  Krystal scrunched her eyes and covered her ears.  The pounding in her head grew with the noise.

Her eyes flew open as cold hands picked her up.  Blond hair and fangs flashed.  They passed through the torn bars of the cell.  Her stomach churned with every turn.  The little food she had was climbing up her clenched throat.  The bright prison lights blurred past.

The gust of night air cooled her face and forced clean air in her lungs.  Looking around, she could see Ken had a barcode on his face with a little gorilla head.  Mukuro was in front being followed by Chikusa.  Out of reach from the flood lights, Mukuro stopped and crouched down. 

Ken stopped.  Krystal sat up a little.  Black spots wriggled in her vision, forcing her to relax back. 

“Mukuro-sama…our pursuers are…” Chikusa said.

“It’s impossible!” Ken said.  “We can’t escape!”

“Kufufu.  No wonder they call it the impregnable fortress, Vendicare prison….It sure lives up to its reputation…”

Mukuro turned towards them.  “Let’s split up here and each of us will escape his own way.  Ken, take Krystal with you.  I’ll be able to work something out on my own, but with you guys tagging along, you’ll just be a burden.”

Ken and Chikusa exchanged looks, but the ground swayed as Ken took off.  Krystal looked at Mukuro one last time.  His shoulders were hunched slightly and he wasn’t moving.  He wasn’t running. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Dear lord...this went through some major editing. All for the better, I think. Maybe I'll come through and edit it again at some point. Either way, this will continue.


	16. Riddle

Krystal woke up and looked around.  The floor was cold and hard, as usual.  Early morning light shone through an upper window. 

No.  This wasn’t her cell.  This wasn’t Vendicare.  There had been alarms and darkness and…

A small apple was set in front of her.  Krystal blinked.  She gingerly picked it up and inspected it.  The bright red stunned her for a second.  Licking it, she quickly took a bite.  Sweetness filled her mouth and dribbled out the sides of her mouth.  Tears started to roll down her cheeks as she took another bite.  No chocolate could ever compare to this.   

Krystal pushed herself up and tried to focus.  There was sawdust on the floor and machinery around, but it didn’t look like it had been used in a while.  Ken and Chikusa were sitting nearby with more apples and a lumpy sack.

A glass of water was on the floor next to her.  Cradling it, it took all her strength not to gulp it all down.  It was warm but lacked the silty taste she’d grown used to. 

Ken was devouring whatever was in his line of sight and Chikusa took small, reserved bites from an apple. 

Krystal shivered as a breeze lifted the hair on her arms.  Scurrying over to Ken, she huddled into his side to stay warm.

“Hey!”  Ken tried to shift away but stopped when she squeaked.  He looked annoyed, but didn’t try to move away again when she settled down by him. 

“Do you think Mukuro’s alright?” she asked, fighting off sleep again now that she wasn’t quite so hungry.  She just barely noticed the loaf of bread wrapped in a towl. 

There was silence before Chikusa spoke.  “I don’t know.”

Krystal didn’t know why she expected them to reassure her.  “Good night…” she muttered.  “Maybe he’ll show up in the morning…”  Krystal dozed off against Ken’s side.

The pond was dark, not reflecting the stars above.  “Mukuro?” she called.  If he was here that would mean he was ok.

The grass tickled her feet as she moved away from the pond.  “Mukuro, please respond.  Are you ok?”  Krystal spun slowly in a circle.  She pursed her lips.  _‘He has to be here…._ ’

This would be the first time she had dreamed since Kokuyo without him being there.  Being alone here unnerved her.  Her stomach and throat seemed to shrink.  The corners of her eyes stung as panic set in. 

“Kufufu.”

Krystal turned in surprise to see Mukuro standing by the pond’s edge.  Relief flooded her and she raced forward to tackle him.  “Oh, God.  You’re alright,” she trilled.

“Where are you?” Krystal asked, holding his face.  “Ken, Chikusa, and I can find you.  Just tell me.”

Mukuro smiled, the corners of his eyes unmoving.  “Don’t come after me.”

“What?” Krystal was confused.  “Why not?”

“Hopefully the Vindice won’t bother you now,” he said.

Her memory from last night was starting to come back. “You….”  She was right.  He hadn’t run.  “What the hell were you thinking?!” Her mouth had fallen open. 

“Why aren’t you happy?  You’re free now.”  He continued to stare her down.

“I don’t care!  Friends stick together and we are _not_ leaving you there!”

Mukuro narrowed his eyes at her.  “You have to right now.” 

Krystal glared at him.  “It’s not happening,” she said kicking his shin lightly.  “Just try to make me stop.”

With that she ran off into the forest. 

*****

**Japan 5 days later**

Krystal kicked a stone left on the pavement.  “You’ve got to be kidding me….”

Ken and Chikusa had forced her to come to Japan with them, despite her cries that they needed to bring Mukuro with.  Not that Mukuro cared about this.  He’d completely bypassed her and spoken with them.  Said they needed to find the “other Mukuro”.  Figuring as he had talked to them and not her, she figured that it wasn’t her problem.

Training still hadn’t expelled the rest of her energy.   Her fingers fluttered against her skirt, her one concession to the duo.  The earthy Kokuyo green was calming. 

Namimori hadn’t changed during her absence.  Sakura’s house still remained empty during the school day and the mat still sat in front of the door.  Krystal played with the end of her ponytail.  On one hand, she desperately wanted to see her friends again, on the other she wasn’t sure how they’d react to seeing her now.

There was no plan.  Nothing to think of and nothing to do.  Just wait until this “other Mukuro” was eventually found.  He didn’t have a sister did he?  A long lost relative?  A clone?  All things considered, clone still made the most sense. 

Didn’t matter.  She’d come back another day.  A day when she’d know what to say to Sakura. 

*****

Krystal slid the key out from under the rock.  Spending the night on the floor left her back aching.  She wouldn’t return to Sakura yet, but there were necessities she could grab from the house.  The creaking on the stairs to her room left her heart racing.  Scurrying into her room, she pulled the door shut.

 _‘Oh, I’ve missed this so much!’_   She flopped onto her bed.  Her bag rested against the leg of the bed.  Her clothes were still scattered around and her homework left on the floor.  She sighed.

Preferably, she wouldn’t leave a trace….but using her bookbag to carry stuff in would be easier. Her music and other items had been left inside.  Extra clothes and toiletries were shoved in with them.  The plush hummingbird was laid on top, allowing just enough room to zip it shut.

Sure that she finally had everything, Krystal carefully shut the door.  _At the bottom of the stairs she stopped by the closet._  Inside was an air mattress and some blankets.  Krystal growled and hesitated at the handle.  In one quick movement she tucked them under her arm and ran out.

*****

Krystal entered the restaurant and shook off the rain, throwing her jacket in the corner.  A few people were crammed into seats.  She’d found it while exploring Kokuyo one evening.  The dim lighting had felt almost like home.

Krystal slid into a chair in the back corner with a view of the door.  Swiping off the rain on her bag, she pulled out a book and settled down. 

Flipping to find her stopping place, a flash of purple from the open door caught her eye.  Her head was down as she shuffled to the nearest table.  Her hair draped in front of her eye.  When she looked up, she was staring at a large purple eye. 

Ducking her head, Krystal focused on the words on the page.  Her stomach twisted.  This girl had been following her everyday into here.  A flash of a look up showed the girl still watching her.  Subtlety did not exist.

Krystal threw her book in her bag and rushed past her for the door.  The misting rain was almost a relief.  A glance in the window showed that the girl hadn’t gotten up, though her eyes followed her out of view. 


	17. Skulls

Krystal squirmed in the wooden chair.  The fragile pages of the book stilled her fingers. 

The purple-haired girl was here again.  Not even a minute since Krystal walked in.  Her skin prickled with the intensity of the girl’s focus.  The emergency exit behind her seemed more and more appealing. 

Snapping the book shut, Krystal stood up.  She walked over to the girl’s table and sat down across from her.  Up close, she could see the eyepatch underneath the hanging hair.  Her eye darted down to avoid Krystal’s.

“Why are you following me,” Krystal asked, leaning forward.

“…”  The girl didn’t look up once.

“Who are you?” 

“Excuse me.”  The girl started up.

“No.”  Krystal stood and kept pace with her.  “What do you want?”

“I have to go,” she muttered, folding in on herself.

The girl disappeared into the mist.  Krystal stood, arms folded, at the window.  An uneasy heaviness settled in her stomach.

*****

Chikusa had come back a while ago without Ken.  He didn’t say a word as he passed by her on the couch. 

It wasn’t until just after sunset that Ken came back.  “Hi, Ken!” Krystal waved from her seat on her mattress. 

Ken didn’t reply.  If Krystal didn’t know better, she’d say that Ken was bothered by something.  Perhaps it was fleas? 

Chikusa ignored him, but Krystal watched.  It was always amusing to her whenever Ken was bothered by something.  He was muttering about something but she couldn’t hear.  As she watched, Chikusa got up and left.

Krystal sighed.   A while ago she’d gotten too hyper reading her book and started pacing around.  Now the energy felt like it had been drained out of her.

Chikusa was back a minute later.  “There’s an intruder,” he stated. 

That got Krystal’s attention.  Most people stayed away from this place.  She got up and Ken came over too.  Ken and Chikusa looked ready to fight, but Krystal was just curious. 

She could barely hear the footsteps as they entered.

“You!” Ken said once he saw the purple haired girl. 

“What are you doing here,” Krystal asked.  The girl ignored her.

She walked up to Ken without a word and handed him the bundle of food she was carrying.  They watched as she walked right back out.

_‘Well she just got ten times creepier.’_

“Is she an acquaintance of yours, Ken, Krystal?” Chikusa asked. 

“Uh….” Ken looked confused himself.  Then he put down the food and chased after her. 

Chikusa and Krystal just looked after him.  This was certainly one of the stranger things that had happened since she met them.  The place was growing dim as the sun set.

“I know her,” Krystal said breaking the silence.  “Or at least, it seems she knows me.  She’s been coming to the restaurant lately.   I wonder where Ken knows her from….”

“I’m going to go after him.”  Chikusa left without another word. 

Krystal shook her head.  She was tired and decided that Ken and Chikusa should be able to handle it on their own.  With a yawn, Krystal headed over to her bed.

*****

The next morning Krystal woke up to see that Ken and Chikusa weren’t there.  She blinked.  This was weird.  _‘Could something have happened to them last night?’_

Krystal went to the theatre to find Ken and Chikusa were in there.  Chikusa walked past her without a word.  Krystal looked in to see Ken sitting on the couch holding the girl from last night who was asleep.  He looked really annoyed too.

Backing out slowly, she returned to her area.  Ken didn’t look like he was in the kind of mood where it would be a good idea to bug him. 

She decided to hang out at the restaurant for a while before checking up on them.  When she got back, they’d returned to the open foyer. 

“What’s going on?” Krystal asked sitting by them.  After all that had happened, she needed an explanation.  They were being much more serious than she was used to seeing them.

As they ate lunch Chikusa revealed what he found.  He had been able to dig up the girl’s entire past.  Her name was Chrome, but that was just the name Mukuro had given her.

“So, I guess she’s that ‘other Mukuro’ you guys were looking for?” Krystal asked at the end as she mulled over the information.    

Chikusa nodded.  “I think so.” 

“She’s the reason you dragged me all the way back here?  If I had known that she was the ‘other Mukuro’ you were looking for, we’d be done with this already.”  Krystal tapped her nails on the floor and frowned.  But, at least they could maybe go back to Italy now and break Mukuro out.

Ken crossed his arms.  “I can’t believe that girl can be Mukuro.   I refuse to believe this.”

“You don’t accept me?”  All three of them turned to see her standing behind them.  “Mukuro-sama told me that I was supposed to accompany you until he’s free.”

Krystal could see Ken’s irritation rise.  She couldn’t really blame him.  Krystal was pretty angry herself.  _‘So he completely ignores and disregards me but somehow finds the time to talk with her?’_

Krystal was about to say something when Ken grabbed a pair of scissors and headed for the girl. 

“Ken…” Krystal panicked.  She scrambled up to grab the scissors away from him.

To her surprise, he sat her down and started cutting her hair.  Krystal stared as it became obvious he was cutting it to look like Mukuro’s.

“This will make me feel like Mukuro-san’s here!” he said as he finished.

Krystal’s jaw fell open a bit and she shook her head slightly.  This boy was insane.

Chikusa shot him a disapproving look which caused Ken to get irritated and yell at him.   Krystal watched as the girl touched the ends of her cut hair before looking up at Ken.

She stood up and Ken recoiled.  “Is there any food?” she asked.

Krystal merely pointed to the small stash of food they had.  They watched silently as Chrome ate.  Krystal couldn’t stand the silence so she got up and grabbed her bag.  

“Where are you going byon?” Ken snapped at her.

“To get more food.”  Krystal didn’t wait to see his response as she left. 

Walking out of the building she had a great idea.  _‘I’ll do that.’_

*****

Krystal had come back from the store with some food basics, but mainly with seeds.  Krystal didn’t know why she didn’t think of it earlier, but she could start a garden.  It might not start feeding them right away, but in the future it would be helpful.  Well, that is if she didn’t mess it up again.

She’d spent the last hour or so planting.  Little tags were in the ground by each kind of plant.  Some of them would be a long shot, but at least a few of them might grow.

“Did you do this all by yourself?”

Krystal recognized the voice behind her as Chrome’s.  “Yes.  I thought it might be better if we could grow some of our own food.  Especially garlic and chives.  Both are easy to grow and it’s supposed to be really good for you.”

Turning back to staring at the dirt, Krystal refused to look at Chrome. 

“Do you not like me?”

Krystal sighed and turned to her.  Chrome’s expression hadn’t changed except she maybe looked a little more curious now.  Krystal snorted before she turned away.

“You’ve done nothing that would cause me not to.  I just don’t know you very well.  And honestly I’m rather mad at Mukuro right now.”

It made no sense to treat Chrome this way because of him, even if she was the “other Mukuro”.  Getting up she brushed the dirt off her pants.  “Excuse me, but I’d rather not talk right now.”  She left Chrome standing by the garden and went back to the building to sleep.

*****

Krystal sighed against the tree in her dream.  She no longer bothered with looking around for Mukuro.  He hadn’t shown up in ages and he probably wouldn’t again. 

Krystal set up a blanket and stretched out.  Thanks to the dreamscape, she could have the sun’s heat with the moon’s light.  She felt refreshed as she took a deep, rattling breath of the humid air.

She missed her friends.  Ken and Chikusa were great, but she needed more interaction outside of those two.  Chrome was too quiet.  Mukuro….at least he kept things interesting. 

Flipping onto her stomach she shut her eyes.  “Why on earth did I ever get involved in the first place?” 

“Because you’re just as naïve and foolishly kind than the Vongola 10th.”

Krystal’s eyes flew open as she shot up suddenly.  “Mukuro?”

“Kufufufu.  Are you surprised to see me?”

He was sitting next to her blanket and seemed amused by her reaction.

Krystal smiled automatically.  But then she remembered that he’d ignored her all this time.  Shutting off her smile, turned her back to him and crossed her arms.  A pout settled on her face.

“Oya, what kind of welcome is this?”

She ignored him and gathered up the blanket.  Mukuro’s weight on it prevented her from fully picking it up.  Krystal tugged at the blanket futilely. 

“I heard from Chrome that you were mad at me.”

Krystal resisted the temptation to glance at him.  Realizing she was getting nowhere, Krystal dropped the blanket and walked back to her tree.  Her feet scrambled on the bark as she climbed up to the higher branches.

“I didn’t know you gardened.”

Krystal was surprised to hear him say this.  Until she realized that it must be due to Chrome.  “There’s a lot of things you don’t know about me,” she replied icily. 

“Why don’t you come down?”

“Why should I?”  Krystal turned and looked down with a glare.  “Just because you finally decided to show up, doesn’t mean I’m obligated to listen to you.  Besides, if you have forgotten, this is **my** dream.”

Mukuro sighed.  “I really upset you, didn’t I?”

“Is there ever a time when you don’t answer a question with a question?”  Krystal dropped down to one of the lower branches to look him in the eye.  “Of course you upset me.  I called and looked for you for days and you never showed up.  Next thing I know Ken and Chikusa have given up on freeing you and are dragging me to Japan with them.”

There was a thud as she landed in front of him.  She poked her finger into his chest.  “And then that girl shows up claiming to be your replacement.  To have met you in **_her dream_**.  And I still hadn’t heard from you.  I had given up since you made it very clear you don’t care.  Now you’re here.”

Krystal wiped away a tear quickly and hoped Mukuro didn’t see it.  “You weren’t here when I needed someone to talk to.  It’s like you didn’t care once Ken, Chikusa, and I were free.”

Cold seemed to sink into her veins.  Krystal smiled manically and walked away.

“Krystal, wait.”  Mukuro grabbed her wrist and she froze.

“Don’t. Touch.  Me.”  Krystal growled.  Or tried to.  Her throat closed off.

He let go and she turned to face him.  Her muscles tensed where he had touched her. 

“I wasn’t trying to ignore you.  I’ve had other things to do.”

She narrowed her eyes.  “Yes, I’m sure you did.  Because with all that free time in Vendicare you couldn’t spare a minute to come by and make sure I was alright.”

Mukuro sighed.  “I don’t have as much power to visit as I once did.  It takes concentration to help Chrome too.  Then Sawada’s father contacted me.”

“Tsuna’s dad?”  Krystal wavered, curiosity held her in place.  Slowly, she looked at him. 

“Kufufu.  It seems like he has competition for the position of boss.”

“So what did he want with you?  You tried to possess Tsuna so….”  Krystal was trying to figure out what was going on. 

“I’ll explain it to you if you sit down.”

Krystal hesitated but sat down in the grass.

*****

“So that’s what I saw today…”  The information was sinking in.  “I don’t really have much choice other than to deal with Chrome, do I?”  Krystal grumbled.

“I thought you two would get along,” Mukuro said with a smirk.

Krystal didn’t say a word but rather sat there.  He was right.  She _should_ get along with Chrome.  Some part of her still felt a little uncertain though.  “Does this mean we can start training again?  I gave a couple sais now.  So, I’ve continued practicing even without you.”

“I’ll come when I can.”

Krystal sighed.  That was probably the best she was going to get.  “Thank you.” 

When Krystal woke up she was in a much better mood than before.  She wanted to go check on her friends, but from what Mukuro said they were likely getting ready for the Varia.  Stretching, she took her sais and went out to practice.

 


	18. Unclear

**Day of the Mist Battle**

Krystal laid her book down on the mattress and looked around.  The forsaken Kokuyo building made her smile. That week she’d gone to see the other ring battles, albeit in secret. 

Tonight was what she had really been waiting for.  The mist guardian battle. 

Even with Chrome as Mukuro’s vessel, this should be a fun match.  Plus, she’d finally be able to see her friends again as herself.  She’d been dying to see Sakura again, but was too scared about her reaction.  If she didn’t show up, Sakura would still find out from Ken and Chikusa.

The Kokuyo uniform hugged her body closer than Krystal expected, though not as tight as Chrome’s.  Her sais hung loosely at her side.  The black boots were heavy to walk in. 

 _‘It’s a shame there’s no good mirrors here….’_ She thought brushing through her hair quickly.  _‘I want to make sure I look presentable after all.’_

Grabbing her bag, Krystal went to find Ken and Chikusa.  They were still eating. 

“I’m going to go ahead and head out guys!” she said as she left.  “Don’t be late!”

They had been delayed earlier when they went to the store.  Apparently they had run into Tsuna and Reborn.  Seeing them had caused Tsuna to faint Chikusa said.  Krystal had suspicions that Reborn set it up so that they would run into each other.

By the time she reached the gym there were just a few minutes left. Her energy was still high and she bounced a bit as she approached.  Ken and Chikusa should be along soon with Chrome. 

Krystal kept out of line of sight from anyone in the gym looking out and stood by the door.  Taking a deep breath she tried to calm down. 

Her heart pounded. 

What would they think of her?  Would they be upset?  Would they hate her?  Would they want her here? 

Krystal slapped herself once.  Sakura wasn’t just family by spirit, she was family by blood.  No way would she hate her.  Even if everyone else did. 

The back door was left open.  Krystal slipped in, her eyes drawn to the group on the other side.  They must be the Varia.  Sakura and the others had their backs turned to her, facing them.

“Hello,” Krystal said quietly. 

No reply.

Krystal shook out her limbs.  Her nervousness flooded her limbs.  Stepping behind Sakura, she tapped her on the shoulder.  “Hi.”

Sakura jumped and turned around.  “What the hell?!”

“It’s been a while,” Krystal grinned, rocking onto her heels.  “I honestly expected more of a welcome.  After all, I’m not a hell.”

Krystal couldn’t believe she was doing this.  She shuffled her feet.  All she wanted to do was run. 

“You’re back!” Yamamoto waved at her.

“What are you doing back?”  Gokudera was glaring at her.

Krystal waved back.  Sakura stared at her in shock.  “I thought you were in Vendicare!”

“That’s because I was.  But I’m back.”  Krystal’s smile wavered.  “And no worse for wear!”

“But how are you here?  I thought….” Sakura shook her head.  “And why are you in a Kokuyo uniform?” 

“Well…..that’s a lot of questions and I don’t feel like answering them right now…”  Krystal clasped her hands behind her back and grinned.

“Do you know who our mist guardian is?” Yamamoto asked.

Krystal scoffed and looked at him in fake astonishment.  “You don’t think it’s me?” 

Krystal looked towards the door as she dropped the act.  “They should be coming soon….  Besides, I don’t want to spoil the surprise!  Ah, they actually made it on time!”

Ken and Chikusa were walking through the door.

“Ah that’s right!!” Tsuna said. 

“It’s them,” Yamamoto looked surprisingly serious. 

“You’ve got to be kidding me!” Sakura looked back to Krystal as she started putting it together.  Krystal kept grinning.

“It can’t be!!”  Gokudera was positively furious.  “Why now!!”  He brought out his dynamite.

“Gokudera stop!” Krystal said stepping in front of him.  She glanced between them.  She didn’t need them getting into a fight.  “It’s fine!  Really!” 

“Calm down,” Reborn said, “they brought the mist guardian with them.”

Gokudera looked at Reborn amazed.  “What are you saying Reborn-san?  These guys are!”  He looked back.  “Don’t tell me the guardian of mist is!!”

“The one they brought with them is…” Yamamoto frowned.

“It’s….It’s not true…” Tsuna protested.  “The guardian of mist is Rokudo Mukuro!!”

“Negative.”  Krystal was surprised to hear Chrome speak up in Italian.  “I am named Chrome.”

“It’s not Rokudo Mukuro?!?!” Tsuna yelled.

Gokudera refused to lower his weapons.  

Krystal bounced over to Ken and Chikusa.  “So you guys made it on time!  I’m glad you did!” 

Everyone was confused.

“The guardian of mist….” It seemed to be sinking in for Tsuna.  “This girl isn’t Rokudo Mukuro..”

“Don’t be fooled!!  That’s Mukuro alright!!” Gokudera yelled.  “She’s been possessed by Mukuro!  He’ll do anything to get what he wants!!  That’s the kind of guy he is!!”

Krystal glared at him.  Chrome may not be her favorite person, but she hated Gokudera and the way he was acting.  “Excuse me, octopus head?  What did you say?”

“It looks like you don’t believe me.” Chrome said.

“’Course not!  10th!!  Just look at that weapon!  Besides that, that eyepatch is hiding that shady eye!!” 

Krystal started to reach for her sai when Tsuna spoke, “But she’s not Rokudo Mukuro.”

“No…”  Gokudera looked back at Tsuna awkwardly.  “Do…Do you really think so?!”

“It’s not..um..but for some reason…”

“You spoke for me.” Chrome said looking a little happier.  “Boss, thank you.”  She kissed Tsuna on the cheek.

Krystal’s jaw dropped and she quickly stepped between her and Gokudera. 

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?!” Gokudera yelled.  Sakura and Yamamoto were holding him back. 

“Greeting.”

Tsuna still looked too shocked. 

“Don’t joke around!!  Get away from the 10th!!!”

“Get away from sweet Tsuna?” Krystal asked and whirled on Tsuna.  She caught the still shocked boy in a bear hug. “Like this?  I missed you, fuzzy.”

That seemed to make Gokudera struggled to get at her.  He screamed at both her and Chrome. 

Krystal cackled.   “Or do you just want him all to yourself Gokudera?  Are you jealous that wasn’t you?” 

“Krystal, stop!” Sakura said as she and Yamamoto were having a hard time holding him back. 

“Aw….but it’s fun~!”  Tsuna loosened up as she let go.  Krystal tussled his hair before letting go and stepping back.

“Well, what should we do?” Ryohei asked.  “Let her join us?” 

“Why should we let her join us?!” Gokudera growled.  “Besides, we don’t even know where the hell she popped up from!!”

“Nya~?  You think I’m going to let that pass byon?”  Ken was ready to fight.  Chikusa also had his yo-yo’s out and Krystal had her sais. 

“You wanna go?  Come on, then,” Krystal taunted.

“Ken, Chikusa, Krystal calm down.  This isn’t for you to decide.” Chrome said. 

Ken and Chikusa calmed but Krystal refused to back down.  She’d never taken orders well.  “I don’t care whether you’re acknowledged or not Gokudera’s been a bas-“

“Krystal!” Sakura snapped with a look. 

Krystal glared at her but backed down.  She slowly lowered the sais, not loosening her grip.

“Is it that I’m not worthy of the position of mist guardian?” Chrome asked Tsuna.

“Eh?!”

“I’d like to battle as the mist guardian but…but if boss won’t let me no matter what, I’ll abide by his decision.”

“You’re asking me to decide just like that!  Such…Such an important thing!”

Reborn jumped on Yamamoto’s shoulder, “However, besides Chrome, there are no others who can battle as the mist guardian.”

“E-Even Reborn is saying things like that…” Gokudera could tell he was outnumbered.

Tsuna seemed to think about it.  “Then…we’ll leave it to you.”

“Wha!  Is that really alright, 10th?!”

“I don’t really know how to put it but…It seems like it wouldn’t work if it wasn’t her.”

“Thank you.” Chrome said softly.

“Told you so!” Ken said.  Krystal hit him lightly even though she agreed with him.

“What was that for?!” he snapped at her.

“Things just got settled for Chrome.  Don’t go messing it up.”  Krystal glared at him before skipping over to Sakura.  “Exciting isn’t it?”

“For whom?” she asked looking at Krystal.

“Everyone.”

“You’re really ok after being-?”

“Yes.  I’m fine.  Mostly due to them,” she said referring to Ken, Chikusa, and Mukuro.

Sakura smiled.  “Well, it seems you fit in at least.  Try to stay out of trouble in the future.”

“Since when do I get into trouble?” Krystal smiled.

“Apparently since you started hanging out with them.  You seem different.”

Krystal was about to protest but paused.  “Hmm….I don’t think I’ve changed so much as I finally have confidence to say what I’m thinking and act the way I want.  I’ve always been like this.”

“Let’s make a huddle!” Ryohei yelled. 

“Oh God, please no…” Krystal muttered.

“No thank you.” Chrome said ending their excitement.  “I don’t need that kind of thing.”

Krystal smiled.  _‘Maybe I can get along with her better than I thought.’_

Chrome walked out to the center of the gym to face Mammon.

*****

Krystal’s mouth hung open slightly.  Viper was gone.

The Cervello looked at each other and turned back to Mukuro.  “The mist ring now belongs to Chrome Dokuro.  With that, the winner of the battle is Chrome Dokuro.”

“Eh wait!” Tsuna yelled at Mukuro as he stood up.  “How could you….you didn’t have to go so far…”

Mukuro looked back.  “Even now, you’re still showing sympathy for the enemy…  Just how naïve can you get, Sawada Tsunayoshi?”

Krystal bit her lip.  She had been about to ask Mukuro the same thing.

“There’s no need to worry.” Mukuro said.  “I should say, that baby managed to escape.  From the start he had every intention of reserving enough energy to escape.  He’s a shrewd one, that Arcobaleno.”  

Krystal stared at him, her eyes widening slightly.  She then looked at Gola Mosca who had just been ordered to kill Viper.  _‘How….’_   She was starting to remember why she didn’t want to get involved in anything mafia related.

“My my, you really are the dark side of the mafia, aren’t you Xanxus?” Mukuro said.  Xanxus said nothing.  “Even I would feel awed at this terrifying scheme you’ve thought up.  But, I have no intention of poking my nose into your business because I am not such a nice human being.” 

“Just one thing though,” Mukuro turned to Tsuna, “The other candidate for the successor, though smaller and weaker than you, is not really someone you should trifle with for your own good.”

Mukuro walked over and Ken and Chikusa ran forward to greet him.  Krystal hung back slightly. 

“Mukuro-san!!” Chikusa said.

“Incredible~!   You sure kicked ass!!” Ken said excitedly.

Krystal smiled.  “That was incredible.” 

“You bastard-“ Gokudera yelled, ruining the moment.  “How dare you show your face here!!!”

“Oi Gokudera!” Yamamoto said. 

“Gokudera calm down,” Sakura laid a hand on his shoulder though she was glaring at Mukuro.  Krystal noticed she had moved to an angle where she could easily step between Mukuro and Tsuna. 

Krystal growled at Gokudera as Mukuro smirked. 

“It’s good to be so vigilant.  But I have no intention of fraternizing with the mafia either.  The only reason I have become your mist guardian is to set myself in a better position to possess your body, Sawada Tsunayoshi.”

“Wha-!”  Gokudera suddenly took out his dynamite.  “I knew it, you bastard!”

“Wa-Wait!” Tsuna made a grab for Gokudera.  “Hold it, Gokudera-kun!!”

Gokudera stopped though he didn’t seem happy. 

Tsuna looked at Mukuro.  “I-In any case, th-thank you.” 

Mukuro seemed to wilt.  “A little….tired now… this girl…”

Krystal moved to grab him as he fell forward.  She managed to grab Chrome by the waist. 

“He’s turned into a girl again!” Ryohei yelled.  “What’s going on?”

“That Mukuro was quite reckless…” Reborn said, “to expend so much power to transform himself into reality.  He probably won’t be able to come over again for a while.”

Krystal sat on the floor and carefully let Chrome down.  _‘I guess I won’t be seeing him for a while….’_

“What’s going on?  Was Mukuro an illusion after all?  Or is this girl an illusion?!” Gokudera yelled. 

“Th-That’s right!”  Tsuna looked at Chrome.  “What about the girl’s internal organs?!”

“This girl has a name, Tsuna.  Her name is Chrome.  And she’s fine now.”

Tsuna look away sheepishly.

“She gets tired real easily,” Ken nudged her with his foot.  “So much for humans…”

Krystal smacked his foot away.  “Leave her alone.”

“You assholes are human too!” Gokudera said.

“Ken, let’s go,” Chikusa started walking away and Ken followed. 

“Wait, you’re abandoning her?!” Tsuna yelled.

“She can walk on her own once she wakes up, right?” Ken said.  “I’m not going to baby-sit her.  It’s not as if she’s really Mukuro-san.”

Krystal sighed as they walked out and looked down at Chrome.  Looked like it would be up to her. 

“Don’t sympathize with him.” Reborn said.  “Don’t ever forget what Mukuro’s done to you.”

A shiver ran down Krystal’s spine.  She frowned slightly as she looked up at Tsuna and Reborn.

“That’s a little cruel…” Krystal said softly.  “It’s fine not to forget, but he’s just as human as you are.” 

Krystal picked up Chrome and stood up. 

“Are you alright Krystal?” Sakura asked.  “Are you really going back with them?”

She smiled and shook her head.  “I’m fine.  I better go catch up with Ken and Chikusa.  I’ll talk to you later.  I can’t explain right now.”

Krystal glanced at the Varia who were watching them.  The intensity of Xanxus’ stare spooked her.    

Krystal bumped into Sakura lightly, careful not to disturb Chrome.  “I’ll see you guys around!”  She nodded towards Tsuna and the rest before running out the door.


	19. Chapter 19

**The Next Night**

Krystal sat by Ken and Chikusa on the slope near the Cloud arena.  Her ankles itched where the grass brushed against them.  Chrome was sitting further up the hill from them.  She’d insisted on sitting there despite Krystal’s attempts to convince her to join them. 

Looking far too eager to fight, Hibari was waiting by the arena.  The Cervello were talking on the field, but Krystal couldn’t hear them. 

Krystal nodded as Sakura sat by her.  “Where’s Tsuna?”

“I think he’s coming later,” she said.  “He had to train more.”

“I hope he isn’t too late.  I don’t trust Xanxus if Gola Mosca loses this.”

“Hibari fight!!!”  Gokudera, Yamamoto, and Ryohei broke from their cheer circle.

“I am so glad Chrome decided not to do that for her match,” Krystal sighed and pulled her legs up.

“Come watch with us,” Sakura said grabbing Krystal’s hand and pulling her down the hill. 

“No…”  Krystal dug her heels in and laid back.   Her eyes were wide as she stared back.  “Ken…help me…” 

“It’s not my problem.” Ken huffed, refusing to look at her. 

“So mean.”  Krystal broke out of Sakura’s grasp and scampered behind Ken.  Using her feet, she pushed him towards Sakura.  “Here, take him.  We don’t want him.”

“We don’t want him either!”  Sakura shook her head and retreated down the hill.

“What are you doing to me, byon?!”  Ken bared his teeth at Krystal.

She grinned.  “I was trying to get Sakura to take you.  Now shut up.  The match is about to start.”

Ken growled at her but thankfully turned to face the match.  Krystal rested an arm on her knee and looked out. 

Gola Mosca attacked Hibari, but Hibari ended it in one blow.

There was a stunned silence.  The machine seemed to wheeze as it sunk to the dirt. 

“I don’t need this thing.”  Hibari finally tossed the ring to one of the Cervello who looked stunned.

Hibari faced Xanxus.  “Now, you, the one sitting over there.  Come down here.  Until I bite you to death, monkey boss of the mountain of monkeys, I can’t go home.”

Krystal stared at him for a second before laughing.  “Where did that come from?” 

Xanxus leapt up and landed in front of Hibari.  “My foot slipped.”

“Right,” Hibari said.

“No, really.”  Xanxus’ smile swept through her like cold wind.  “I came down only to retrieve that piece of junk.  We have lost.”’

“Hnnn.  Your face tells a different story.”  Hibari charged Xanxus, who dodged and set off the guns.  Hibari continued to attack as Xanxus weaved out of range.

“Don’t worry.  I won’t raise an arm,” Xanxus said.

“As you wish.  I’m going to bite you to death.”

Krystal held her breath.  _‘Hibari’s insane!  Actually insane!  What is he thinking?!”_ She scampered down the hill a little, glancing between the pair and the Cervello.

Xanxus blocked Hibari’s next attack with his hand.

“You’ve raised an arm,” Hibari said.  

“Cervello,” Xanxus said, glancing at them, “don’t get the story wrong now.  I didn’t attack him at all.”

Suddenly Gola Mosca fired at Hibari hitting his left leg and forced him to one knee. 

She gasped.  “Hibari!” 

Missiles from Gola Mosca went off around Hibari. 

Krystal stood with Ken and Chikusa.  Everyone scurried out of the way.  

Xanxus was laughing wildly.  “This is a terrible disaster!!!”  

Chrome ran and Krystal tried to grab her as she passed.   “Chrome!” 

She was running in the wrong direction!  Ignoring the crashes, Krystal hurried to grab her.

Chrome stopped in the middle of the field. 

“Run!” Krystal grabbed her wrist. 

They were being knocked down by Ken and Chikusa as the ground where they stood exploded. 

“Geez…Can’t take your eyes off her for a second,” Ken said.

“Thank you,” Krystal said and looked up.

The Mosca headed our way as the guns fired.

“Oh, shit!”  Ken ducked down, forcing their heads to the ground.  “God damn it!”

Her teeth ground against the dirt that had been kicked up into her mouth.  Trembling, she desperately tried to clear her mind.  Ken prevented her from getting up. 

“Krystal, get out of there,” Sakura screamed.

The explosion went right around them. 

Peeking out, Tsuna hovered in front of them. 

“Tsuna,” Krystal said happily. 

They sat up as Tsuna attacked the Gola Mosca.  Krystal scrambled to get by Sakura.  Sakura hugged her as they turned to watch Tsuna fight the Gola Mosca. 

It was intense, but Tsuna was able to stop him.  This time, someone fell out of it.  Krystal’s eyes went wide.

“Th-This person is…the 9th boss?!”  Tsuna knelt down by him.  “What…What’s going on?  Why is he inside Mosca?!” 

Reborn landed by Tsuna and laid a hand on the 9th boss.  “I’ve seen Mosca’s construction only once.  It looks like the 9th boss was forced to be Gola Mosca’s power source.” 

“What?”  Krystal was stunned.  “How can…?”

“Wh-Why?!” Tsuna asked.  

“It’s not ‘why’ is it!”  Xanxus said.  “You’ve gone and killed the 9th boss.”

“Me….I did this…?”  Tsuna looked down at his hands. 

“This looks bad,” Reborn said moving between the 9th and Tsuna.  “It’s not something we can treat with a first aid kit.”

“Who was it?  Who struck down the old man with no mercy whatsoever?”

Krystal growled at Xanxus.   _‘Does it matter if you’re the one who put him in that situation?!’_

“Who was it?  Who split Mosca in half with the old man inside?”

“Me…”  Tsuna wilted.  “It was me…I killed the 9th boss...”

“No,” said the 9th, “the one at fault was me.”

“We finally get to meet young Tsunayoshi.  I’m sorry.  All of this happened because of my own weakness.  My weakness that allowed Xanxus to wake up from his long sleep.”

“What do you mean sleep?” Reborn asked.  “After that Cradle Affair, Xanxus was cast out of the family and kept under strict surveillance by the Vongola, wasn’t he?”

“Cradle Affair,”  Tsuna asked Reborn.

“It was eight years ago – the largest coup d’etat in Vongola history.”  Krystal stared at Xanxus as Reborn continued to explain.  Xanxus watched them, seeming not to care. 

The 9th coughed at Tsuna started to panic again before he spoke, “Tsunayoshi, I’ve always…I’ve always been hearing news about you…from Reborn….About the girl you like and….about your school….and about your friends.   You are a child with a heart that is really mismatched for a mafia boss.  I also know that up till now, you have never once fought in a battle willingly.”

He reached up and touched Tsuna between the eyes, “You always have these lines between your eyebrows..Clenched your fists as if praying…and all that is why I chose you to be the 10th boss of the Vongola!  I’m sorry, but I’m glad it’s you….”  

The man’s hand dropped. 

“No, don’t!!”  Tsuna cried.  “Please wait!!!  9th!!!  9th!!!”

Krystal throat constricted.  He couldn’t have died.  Tsuna, even on accident, wouldn’t kill someone. 

“How dare you kill the 9th!!!”   Xanxus drew to his full height.  “The despicable way in which you struck down the 9th boss is a challenge against his own son, Xanxus, as well as the noble Vongola spirit!  No need for investigation.  The burns on the 9th’s chest are the undeniable evidence.  Now that the boss has been murdered, the ring contest battle is meaningless!  For the boss, my father, and for the future of the Vongola I will kill you as vengeance!” 

“Wh-What the hell did you say?!” Gokudera glared at Xanxus.  “He wants to what the 9th boss?!”

“So, this is what he’d aimed for.” Reborn said.  “If he only won the ring contest battle and became the next boss, those who know of the Cradle Affair would object to his succession and would also continue to oppose him.” 

Krystal remembered what Mukuro had said as Reborn continued.  _‘Did Mukuro know about this from the beginning?  Why didn’t he tell me?!’_

“How could he…?”  Tsuna said.  “For…For something like that!!”

“Please refrain from speaking such wild conjectures out loud, Reborn,” the Cervello said.  “We will officially record everything that is spoken.”

Krystal glared at them, her lips twitching into a snarl.  “Record everything but what actually happened!”

“Do whatever you want,” Reborn said.  “My patience has ran out.  But, I will honor my promise to the 9th and not interfere, with my student’s battles that is.  Having said that, I don’t know what my student, who hates fighting, will do…”

“Xanxus,” Tsuna said.  “I will take that ring back.  You will not follow in the 9th’s footsteps!”

“Well said Tsuna.”

Xanxus didn’t back down.  “I’ll carve your name into Vongola’s history books as the foolish runt who dared to defy Xanxus all by his little self.”

“He’s not alone,” Gokudera yelled.  “The boss’s will is our will!” 

Gokudera and everyone else had their weapons ready.  Chrome beside her had her trident and was ready to fight.  Krystal smiled and pulled out her sais, her blood boiling with the injustice. 

“My will is my own.” Hibari said as he also got ready to fight.

“You want some of this, you brats?!” Levi yelled. 

Bell had his knives out.  “How about this?”

“Exterminate the traitors,” Xanxus said.

“Hold it right there, please,” the Cervello interrupted.  “We will be in charge of the battle for the 9th’s revenge.”

Krystal growled.  The metal sai digging into her palm.

“We have a duty to oversee the whereabouts of the Vongola rings.”

“What the hell are you talking about,”  Gokudera snapped.  “You’re all Xanxus’ bitches!!” 

“Please watch your mouth.  We have an official decree from the 9th himself.  Any changing-of-hands of the rings will not be approved without any ratification.”

The boy that Krystal didn’t know stepped forward.  “You’ve got some nerve!  You forced the 9th to give you that dying-will flame seal against his will!”

The Cervello ignored him.  “The winner of this battle will become the next Vongola boss, so…We declare this the sky ring battle.  In other words, this will be the last of the seven ring contest battles held over the past week.  How does that sound, Xanxus-sama?”

“Not a bad idea.”

“Then tomorrow night, will everyone please assemble at Nami High?”

Bel laughed.  “The fake got a suspended sentence for now.” 

“Tsuna is exhausted from his training, “Reborn said.  “That’s good news for us.”

“Pfft.”  Xanxus’ smug look was back.  “Tomorrow will be the final chapter in this happy comedy.  Make sure you’re up for it.”

Tsuna caught the half ring Xanxus threw at him.   There was a flash of light and when it disappeared they were all gone.

“9th!”  The unknown boy ran over to Tsuna and the 9th.

“Are we too late?”  Dino and his men rushed forward.  “You people!  Help the 9th and the injured!!”

Krystal sighed.  “Well, if that’s all I think I’m going to head back with them…”  She turned to see Chrome, Ken, and Chikusa had already gone. 

She stared at where they had been.

“Do they always leave like that,” Sakura asked, looking around her.

“They do it more often than I’d like.”

“You just get back safely,” Sakura said waving as Krystal walked off.  “I’ll see you later.”

Krystal waved.  “I’ll be there tomorrow!”


	20. Good Lord

**Next Day**

Moonlight streamed through the open windows at KokuyoLand.  Krystal waved away the dust the floated in front of her face as she sat on the floor.  Ken, Chrome, and Chikusa stood looking at each other.

The silence was near unbearable.  Krystal traced the picture on the cover of her book.

“So,” Chikusa finally said, “Mukuro-san.  He’d known all along that the Vongola 9th was inside that thing.”

“I think so...” Chrome said softly.

“Well….Anything from Mukuro-san now?”

Krystal kept silent.  Mukuro hadn’t visited her since the Mist Battle, probably because it would take too much energy.  Plus, it wasn’t her job to tell them.  She didn’t even tell them Mukuro visited her.

“I’m not getting a response at all….It’s like he’s turned his back….”

“What do you mean,” Ken spat.

“Mukuro-sama seems like he’s talking to someone else….”

“Like how,” I asked, leaning forward.

Chrome shook her head.  “I don’t know.  He isn’t talking to me.”

“If you can’t keep in contact with Mukuro-san, there’s no reason for you to be here,” Ken yelled.

“Ken!”  Krystal glared at him. 

“I’m sorry.”  Chrome started walking out.

“Sorry doesn’t cut it, fool,” he snapped. 

“I’m going now.”

“To Nami High,” Chikusa asked.

“Yes.  I have been summoned.”  Chrome continued walking out.

Krystal stood up and crossed her arms.  “Did you have to say that?  It’s not her fault.  If you’re going to be mad at anyone, be mad at Mukuro.  Besides, I don’t see you doing anything helpful.”

“Shut your mouth, woman,” Ken snapped at her.

Shrugging, Krystal raised her eyebrows.  “I’m just telling the truth.  Sorry if you don’t want to hear it.  I’m going to go see the battle.  Stay here if you care so little about her.  See ya!”

*****

They were reviewing the rules when Krystal arrived, but she didn’t see any other spectators other than Reborn and Basil so she hung back.  When Sakura, Shamal and Colonello showed up Krystal came out cautiously. 

Krystal went to stand by Sakura.  “Are you ready?”

Sakura shook her head.  “No.  I’m worried about Tsuna.”

Tsuna didn’t say a word as the Cervello continued by announcing that the guardians were all at their stations. 

“We’ve set up a pole at each of the battlefields,” the Cervello stated.  “The top of each pole contains the ring of the same type.”

“What..?!”  Gokudera was miffed.  “Don’t tell me we’re scrambling for them again?!”

Bel’s grin widened.  “In other words, we’ll be fighting too?”

“You’re all free to do so,” they said.  “That is, if you’re able.”

The watches beeped and suddenly all the guardians collapsed in pain. 

“What was that?!” Tsuna yelled.

“What’s going on,” Sakura asked. 

“Just then, all the guardians were injected with a poison administered from their wristbands.” 

“What did you say?!”

“You can’t do this!!”  Krystal gripped her own aching wrist, squirming at the thought of a needle.

The Cervello continued regardless.  “This poison is called the death hitter.  Once administered, it will paralyze the victim’s nerves instantly, even standing up will prove difficult.  Then, a burning pain will spread throughout the body, increasing gradually, until 30 minutes later…the victim will die.”

“Wh-What is the meaning of this,” Tsuna yelled.  “It’s supposed to be the Sky battle, so why is everyone involved like this?!”

“Because the sky is the mission of the boss.”

Krystal looked at Sakura as Cervello continued.  She was staring intently in Gokudera’s direction.  “Sakura are you ok?”

“Everyone is going to die if this doesn’t start soon,” she snapped.  “Do you think I’m ok?”

Krystal blinked.  “Just thought I’d ask.”

“How can you be so calm about this?!”

“I’m not,” Krystal said, holding up her wrists.  “But there’s nothing I can do about it right now.”

Sakura clenched her hands as she stared at the screen.   “If any of them die….”

“If any of them die you won’t be alone in going after the Cervello.  I promise.” 

“So this battle is not only for the Sky ring,” Reborn said.  “The guardians’ rings have also become a crucial element.”

“Exactly,” the Cervello said.  “Therefore the condition for victory in the sky battle is this: you must acquire all of the Vongola rings.  Use this chain to collect the full set of the Vongola rings.”  The Cervello handed chains with spots for the others to Tsuna and Xanxus.

“Alright, I get it!!  Let’s hurry!!”  Tsuna gripped his chain.  “Otherwise everyone will…”

“Very well.  One last thing.  Once the battle has started, any outside interference from non-participating personal is forbidden.  That includes special bullets.” 

“Understood,” Reborn said.

Sakura and Krystal yelled as Xanxus hit Tsuna throwing him into the wall.

“Xanxus-sama!” The Cervello stared at Xanxus.  “Not yet!!”

Xanxus smiled.  “Let’s hurry and get started.  Wasn’t that what he said?”

“Yes…in that case!”

The other boy spoke up.  “But that attack on Sawada is…That was foul, Xanxus!”

“My bad,” Xanxus said.  “Did I get him before he was shot with his special bullet?”

“How foolish,” Reborn said looking smug.  “Who do you’re think you’re dealing with?”

Tsuna came out of the rubble of the wall with his dying will.

“Tsuna, Xanxus is not an opponent you can fight half-heartedly.  If you’re thinking about saving your six guardians first, you’re going to lose your own life first-“

“I know,” Tsuna said getting up and facing Xanxus.  “I’m going to put this guy away first.”

*****

The battle was going too long, though the guardians were recovering.

Krystal’s eye darted from Tsuna and Xanxus to the screens.  Gokudera and the others were collecting the rings.  Chrome was still in the gym without an antidote.

Xanxus attacked Tsuna and hit him as he was in the middle of emitting the flames.  Tsuna was almost hit by the gun. 

Krystal gasped and grabbed Sakura’s arm as Xanxus fired at Tsuna.

As the air cleared, they could make out Tsuna on the ground.  It was a moment, but Tsuna’s flame reappeared as he stood to face Xanxus

Ken and Chikusa had joined their group as the battle began.  Even now they pretended not to care, but they had relaxed with Tsuna’s recovery.

 “That was such a masterpiece,” Xanxus laughed.  “I don’t know who instructed you but, the zero point breakthrough technique is not like that!  How could the technique be so pathetic as to allow the user to suffer damage to that extent!”

Shifting to a different stance, Tsuna ignored Xanxus.  “Zero Point Breakthrough Revised.”

Xanxus dashed forward, hitting Tsuna repeatedly.  Sakura screamed and lurched forward slightly

Krystal’s stomach churned and ached.  Looking away, she wrung her hands.  “Tell me when it’s over.”

She only looked up again when somebody said something about Xanxus’s scars.  Her brow furrowed in confusion.  Scars had spread across Xanxus’s face that weren’t there before. 

“That’s his fury.”

Krystal turned with everyone else and was surprised to see Squalo.  ‘Guess he wasn’t dead,’ she thought as Dino explained how he’d saved him. 

The Cervello landed nearby.  “You’re Squalo.”

“Hey little lady,” Shamal said, “it’s rather impossible for this guy to enter the field now, isn’t it?”

“I understand….Accepted.  But, all of you must enter the observation box.”

Squalo entered the area along with Dino and his men.  Krystal stepped closer to Ken and Chikusa again.  She focused on the impossible knot that kept Ken’s shoes tied, not wanting to see anymore. 

“His hands are frozen,” someone yelled. 

Krystal glanced up.  Xanxus’s hands were frozen and his face twisted in rage. 

“This phenomenon…impossible…It’s the same as that time…”  Squalo said.

Krystal stared at Squalo.  His hands gripped the arms of the wheelchair, his knuckles turning white.

The video on screen switched to the gym where Chrome was.  Ken tensed up beside her. 

Yamamoto and Gokudera were struggling against something invisible as they tried to help Chrome.  Krystal gasped as the gym wall was broken apart by Ryohei. 

“Dokuro!”  Ken took a step forward, his eyes wide as he searched the screen. 

The dust settled and Yamamoto and Gokudera shoved off the rubble.  Gokudera was yelling at Ryohei, but they had Chrome with them.

“Thank God…” Krystal breathed as she closed her eyes.  She turned and grinned.  “You look relieved Ken.”

Ken blushed and looked away.

“Those scars,” Tsuna said causing Krystal to look away from the screen, “they’re proof you were once consumed by the zero point breakthrough over your whole body.  You can no longer ignite the flames on your fists.  You have lost.”

Xanxus laughed.  “And here I was thinking what else you were going to say!  You’re fucking kidding me!”  

He started trying to break the ice with his knees.

“It’s useless, Xanxus.  If you continue doing that, the result will be worse than the scars the 9th boss gave you.” 

“The 9th,” Krystal asked.

“Th-Then Xanxus was struck by the 9th boss’s Zero point breakthrough,” Colonello said.

Krystal grimaced as Xanxus yelled again and went on about the X’s in his name.  “Wouldn’t that qualify you for the 20th boss since there’s two,” Krystal joked, cringing at Xanxus’s anger.

Tsuna barely had to react as Xanxus charged him.  Tsuna had gone out of dying will mode.  “Let’s go,” his hands took the same position as before, “Zero Point Breakthrough First Edition.”

Krystal watched in fascinated horror as the ice completely covered Xanxus. 

“This cannot be melted anymore.”

Everyone cheered and Sakura hugged her.  Krystal watched Xanxus.  She knew he was frozen, but half expected him to shake it off.  Krystal swallowed slowly, her body turning cold as she stared.  It was like Mukuro still locked up in Vendicare. 

But Mukuro was not like Xanxus.  Xanxus needed to be stopped at all costs.

Things slowed as Squalo explained the Cradle Affair.  Most of it went in one ear and out the other.

“VOII!!  LET ME OUTTA HERE,”  Squalo yelled.

“We cannot not allow that,” the Cervello said.  “The conditions for victory have not been met yet.”

“SCREW YOU!  LET ME OUT!”

Panting, Tsuna fell to one knee. 

Mammon’s illusions of the Varia attacked him, but Tsuna didn’t react.  “It’s useless.  Xanxus has been put to sleep.”

“Let’s see about that shall we?” Mammon said.  “Instead, shall we say that the preparations are in good order for the ceremony that will declare our boss the successor to the next Vongola Boss.  Our boss will once again be revived.” 

“Oh, bleep,” Krystal said as Mammon held out all the rings.  Those weren’t illusions. 

“Do you know why the rings were stored in halves?  And, do you know why they can only be awarded to the true successors of Vongola?  That’s because the rings themselves have a hidden power.  Our boss was locked up after being frozen by the 9th boss’s zero point breakthrough.  When the ice melted, there were seven burn marks left on the base.   I cannot by sure who’d done it, but the evidence was enough to lead me to a hypothesis.”

The rings in his hands lit up.  “Exactly as I thought.  You better watch.”

Mammon brought them over to Xanxus and the ice started melting. 

“The Zero Point Breakthrough ice, it’s melting!”

“That’s not all,” he said, “When the full set of seven Vongola rings are passed to the successor, it’s said that the rings will grant a great power to the new blood of Vongola.”

“To the blood…of Vongola…” Tsuna muttered.

“It’s about time you returned it.”  Bel balanced the Sky ring on his knife.  “We’ve gotten all the Vongola rings!”

The rest of the Varia came to greet him as the ice fully melted.

“Give me…the rings,” Xanxus said.

“Of course!  That second-rate imposter doesn’t deserve this,” Bel said as he crouched by him.  “It’s rightfully yours, the true progeny of the 9th boss.”

“Ho…Hold on…” Tsuna panted.

“After all this was meant to be from the start.”  Mammon handed the chain over to Xanxus.

“Tsuna!”  Tsuna’s guardians ran up, a little too late. 

“O, pride of the Vongola, grant your successor….grant the young blood of Vongola with great power.” 

Krystal’s hands rested on her sais, frustrated at her inability to help.

“This…This is it!”  The ring crackled and glowed on Xanxus’ hand as he stood up.  “This is the power!  This limitless power is overflowing through me!   This is the proof of the successor to the Vongola!  Finally, it’s mine!  With this, I will become the tenth boss of the Vongola!”

Blood suddenly spewed out of his mouth and he collapsed. 

“Boss,” Mammon yelled.

“What happened?!”

“Impossible,” Squalo barked.   “Unless….”

“The ring has rejected Xanxus’s blood,” Tsuna said. 

“Muu!  What do you know?” Mammon turned angrily to Tsuna.  “What do you mean the rings have rejected his blood?!”

Xanxus struggled to get up and laughed morbidly.  “I….certainly had it coming, didn’t I?  That’s right.   The old fart and I have no blood relation whatsoever!!”

“Xanxus…” Tsuna started.

“Don’t you fucking pity me, you scum!!!”

“I understood though…” Squalo spoke up and Cervello broadcasted it.   “The betrayal you suffered and your hatred.   I understood it all.”

“You’re still alive…Damn shark.  You understand you say.  What…do you understand about me?   Don’t talk as if…you know anything.”

“No, I do understand!  I know everything!”

“Then say it!  Just what do you know about me!  Huh?  You can’t say it, can you?!”

“You were born in the squatters, but you were gifted with the flame since birth.  When your mother saw that flame, she became obsessed with the delusion that you were the lovechild of an affair between the 9th boss and herself.” 

He continued, “You believed the 9th’s words without a doubt.  You were adopted, and as the 9th’s son, your impudence grew.”

Krystal closed her eyes.  Xanxus’s pain at finding that out was something she knew all too well.  The reminder stung her heart.

“That led to the Cradle Affair,” Reborn said.

“That’s all I know.  I dug it up after the Cradle Affair though.”

“All crap,” Xanxus said.

“You betrayed the 9th boss, yet he didn’t kill you.  Even til the end, hadn’t he always treated you with acceptance…..?  The 9th boss didn’t care about bloodlines or the law, he believed in you more than anyone else.  The 9th had always treated you as his own son.”

“SHUT THE FUCK UP,”   Xanxus exploded.  “Don’t mess me up with that unconditional love crap!  What use is that shit?!  The only thing I wanted was the seat of boss!   I only wanted those scumbags to worship me!  I only wanted them to praise _me_!”

Xanxus coughed up more blood.

The Cervello interfered.  “Xanxus-sama!  We will need to deliberate further on whether or not you are suitable for the rings.”

“Sh-Shut up!   If I can’t have them, nobody can!   Kill them!  Kill them all!”

Krystal’s hand fluttered to her sais. 

“We’re back to our original plan,” Mammon said.

“How rotten can you get?” Gokudera said.  “As if I’d let you!”

“You’re half-dead already, aren’t you?” Bel mocked.  “Oh ho, that one too…”  Hibari had shown up by the guardians.   “This time we’ll do it 1000% right.  You’re all going to die.”

“Are you blind or something?  You’re two against five!!  Who do you think the odds are against?”

“Two against five?” Mammon asked.  “What are you talking about?  You are facing an army tens of times greater than this.  All fifty members of our inborn Varia squad will be joining us here very soon.”

Krystal growled.  She started forward until Sakura grabbed her arm.  “Stop.  You can’t go out yet.”

She glared at Sakura, but stepped back, pacing in the small space.

“They were already on their way because after boss’s victory, they were supposed to kill the rest of the people here and settle everything.  These are our elite, next in battle ability only to us, core members.”

“Wait-Wait a minute!”  The Cervellos tried to regain control.  “We cannot allow any outsiders to interfere in the middle of the battle…”

“You think we care?”  Bel struck the girl.

“Since they have shown their true intentions we will join the battle on Tsuna’s side too,” Colonello yelled.  “Let us out of here!”

Everyone clambered to be let out.

“Understood,” the remaining Cervello said taking out the remote.  “In that case, the Varia side has been disqualified.  The infra-red boundary on the observation box will be deactivated.”

Krystal was ready to charge out when Reborn said to wait.  He put on goggles.  “It hasn’t been deactivated.”

“How naïve.” Mammon said.  “We sabotaged it before.  We’d already arranged for all of you to die in that jail cell.”

Every nerve on her body was on edge.  “You’ve got to be kidding me!!”

“Move aside!  I’ll blow this apart!”  Colonello had his rifle out.

“It’s useless,” the Cervello yelled.  “It’s constructed to explode internally if you fire from inside.”

“Fuck,” Gokudera yelled.  “You mean we’re on our own?!”

Krystal marched right up to the barrier and stared, her hand on her sai tightened.   With a growl she walked back. 

A small group in black landed near the Varia.

“Nice timing,” Bel said.  “We’ve been waiting for you guys.”

“Reporting sir!  We’re the only ones left.  The Varia squad has been wiped out!  That guy is too strong!  The man’s like a demon….He’ll be here soon…” 

A large ball barreled through the remaining members.

Krystal’s eyes went wide when she spotted the man.  “No way…  That must be who…”

“Don’t be mistaken Vongola,” he said.  “I didn’t come here to help you.  I came here to thank you.”

“Lan-Lancia-san,” Tsuna said, his face lighting up.

“Why the hell is he here?” Ken yelled. 

“Lancia…You mean that Lancia,” Mammon said.

“Who’s he,” Bel asked, frowning.

“The strongest and most fearsome man in Northern Italy…The Lancia who murdered his entire family.”

“What, that guy’s so strong,” Ken asked.

Krystal laughed.  “Ken, how do you not know that?”

“He’s very strong,” Chikusa said.

“Now that he’s fighting with his own will instead of being controlled by another, he has no more doubts,” Reborn added.

Bel laughed, “Is that so?  In that case… Let’s get it over with right away~!”  He rushed Tsuna.

“Whoops.  I can’t allow that to happen.”  Yamamoto deflected the knives and crouched in front of Tsuna.

“Muu….It’s come to this, I’ll…”  A pillar of fire erupted below Mammon. 

“You’re not getting away,” Chrome said.

“Hey, we have unfinished business,” Hibari said moving towards Bel.

“Let’s go.”  Ryohei had his fists up and ready to fight.

Gokudera meanwhile kenlt by Tsuna.  “Boss!  Are you hurt bad?”

“Thanks…” Tsuna said looking up happily at Gokudera.  “I’m ok.”

Bel raised his hands.  “That’s it for me.”

“Mu…Boss….I think we’re done…” Mammon said.

“You’re all useless scumbags…” Xanxus said from where he laid.  “Shit!  Damn you all!  All of you!!!   I curse you all to death!!!!”

“Now that the rings’ secret is out,” Squalo said, “You’re thinking that Xanxus will give up his ambition for the boss’s seat?  Of course he won’t give up!!!   His fury will burn even hotter, then watch him smash that law into pieces!!!   Now, those brats will be a part of our world.  One day they will come to regret it.  They’ll wish they had dies in this battle.”

Krystal looked as Squalo sadly.   She wasn’t even angry anymore.  “That’s a terrible way to live…” she muttered.

“Xanxus-sama,” the Cervello said, “since you have been disqualified you must forfeit the Vongola rings.”

“Cervello, it’s gone…according to your wishes.  You were right.  Are you happy now?”

“You say words like that, but we do not have wishes nor do we predict anything.  Everything was already decided.  Your role in this is over.”

“You cunning fox…”

“Thank you for doing you part.”  The Cervello took the rings.  “With this, the ring contest battle has ended.  We will now announce the overall result.  Since Xanxus-sama has been disqualified, the winner of the sky battle is Sawada Tsunayoshi.  Therefore, the next successor to the Vongola is Sawada Tsunayoshi and his guardians.”

Krystal breathed a sigh of relief.  She didn’t even care about the Vongola, but it meant all her friends would be alright.


	21. Friendly Feathers

**A Week Later**

Krystal skipped out on the party after the battle.  She didn’t quite feel like celebrating and she felt it would be awkward going there with Lancia around. 

She’d joined them for lunch at school to answer their questions.  It had been a shock to see how quickly they’d welcomed her back.  While things weren’t exactly normal, she was developing a new routine.

Krystal sighed as she stretched out at KokuyoLand’s bowling alley.  The windows filtered the afternoon sun.  Lunch was insane and her legs ached from running.

Word to the wise: Do not threaten Tsuna.  Even as a joke.

Curling up in a blanket, Krystal fell asleep.

In her dream, she was small and young, not even tall enough to reach the doornknob.  An older woman was sprawled on the floor in front of her.  The woman sobbed, brown hair in tangles over her face.  She wailed.

Krystal cried, frozen and unable to reach out.  Confusion overwhelmed her.  This wasn’t real.  This was.  But it couldn’t be.

The pond.  She needed to get away.  This was too much.  Krystal shut her eyes, praying to leave.

Tree bark suddenly dug into her back.  Opening her eyes, Krystal took a deep breath, welcoming the crisp air.  She slid down to sit at the base of the tree.  Curling up, she laid her head on her knees.  Her whole body trembled, shaking sobs out of her like wind chimes in the wind. 

“Krystal?” She flinched as she felt a hand on her shoulder.  It left as soon as she did.  “It was a nightmare.”

Krystal shook her head.  She peered up at him and let her legs stretch a little, but the sobs still shook her body. 

“That…That wasn’t a nightmare,” she forced out in small spurts trying to wipe her tears away.  The words stuck in her mouth, bubbling up with her sobs.  “That was a memory.  Or, at least I think it is.”

Krystal’s cheeks warmed, maybe from crying, maybe from embarrassment. 

Mukuro sat nearby, watching her.

“I’m sorry,” Krystal choked out, wiping away the tears again. 

Mukuro chuckled.  “I’ve seen worse.”

Krystal’s eyes narrowed as she looked him up and down.  He wasn’t smirking, so that probably wasn’t meant to be mean.  She sighed, one last sob hiccupping out of her.

“That was my mom,” she said, her eyes sore from crying.  “I didn’t want you to see her that way.  I don’t want to see her that way.”

“I hate it,” Krystal spat.  “It’s one of the only memories I have of her and I’m trying to forget it.  I’m a terrible daughter.”

“You lost your mother,” Mukuro asked in what sounded more like a statement.

“When I was four.”  She hugged her knees, a coldness settling over her.  It took a few moments to gather words.  “I don’t remember much.  All I know is that people say I’m a lot like her.”

“I’d rather not talk about this right now,” Krystal said.  “There are better things to think about.”

Trying to relax, she leaned back and brushed her hair out of her face.  Mukuro hadn’t moved while she talked.  “You aren’t usually here this time of day.”

“Neither are you.”

“I…I guess that’s true, isn’t it,” she chuckled.  “How do you deal with all that nothing time?”

“I come here,” he said, smiling.

“Well,” I said, smiling back, “I’m sorry it’s always so boring here.”

“It’s not boring,” Mukuro said.  “On the contrary, you’re quite fascinating.”

Krystal blushed and ducked her head.  “If you say so.”

“You know, I only came here for a nap,” Krystal said, raising her eyebrows.  “I should probably wake up now so I can be here later.  I promise I’ll make it fun for you.”

Krystal leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek before leaving.

Sighing, Krystal sat up.  The shadows hadn’t moved much from when she fell asleep.  The regular visits from Mukuro were nice, though she couldn’t believe he saw her like that.  He didn’t see her memory, did he?

He didn’t say anything about.  It doesn’t matter.  But then...

Her eyes widened.  She’d kissed him on the cheek, just like she did for her family.  How would he take that? 

Krystal tried not to scream.  She didn’t like!  Not romantically at least.

_‘What if he takes it the wrong way?  Will he even come around again?  Should I say something or should I say nothing at all and hope he doesn’t?’_

The pillow muffled her scream. 

_‘I’m never falling asleep again!’_

And Chrome!  What if he mentioned something about it to her?  

Krystal jumped up and grabbed her bag.  She’d hide out in the park for the day until night when Chrome and everyone else was asleep.  Krystal ran out the door and bumped into Ken.  By the time he snapped at her, she was gone. 

*****

Upon returning to Kokuyo, Krystal checked to see that Chrome was asleep, then settled into bed with her book with the intent of staying up all night. 

After a while, the words blurred on the page.  The protagonists raced through a forest on horseback.  Almost like her forests back home.  If she closed her eyes, she could imagine she was there.  The way the canopy filtered the light and cooled the air…

“Oh, come on,” Krystal moaned, realizing that she was in her forest, the pond reflecting glittering starlight in front of her. 

“Kufufufu.  Are you trying to run away from me?”   Krystal turned to see Mukuro leaning against the tree with his usual smirk.

Her blush returned immediately.  “I swear that didn’t mean anything last night!”

The words tumbled out, her whole plan tossed aside.  “That was just habit.  I usually only say good night to family so that was just something that happened because of that.   I don’t care about you that way.   I swear.” 

“What way?”

“Uh, romantically,” she murmured.

Mukuro’s smirk widened.  “If that’s true, then why are you blushing?”

Krystal’s face heated up and she looked away angrily.   “I can’t help it.  I get nervous easily…”

She looked down again.  “And I’m sorry.  You should have just left.”

“Oya?  Now why would I do that when it was so interesting?” 

Krystal turned away, her lips pulled tight in a scowl.  He said it like it was some sort of show for his entertainment. 

“Kufufu, perhaps I should say it was interesting to see you trust me.”

Krystal turned back slowly with her arms crossed.  “It’s probably more interesting than Vendicare I suppose….” 

“Are you doing ok there?”  Krystal tilted her head to the side, surprised that she hadn’t asked him that before.  It couldn’t be nice locked away in an aquarium, even worse than the cells…

“Now that the ring battle is over and we have Chrome we could go back to Italy,” she said, her eyes lighting up.  Wringing her hands together, she paced rapidly.  “We could break you out finally!   It wouldn’t be that hard to convince Ken and Chikusa!   I’m not sure about Chrome but-“

“No.”  Mukuro went from mild amusement to stone cold.

“What do you mean no?  Don’t you want to get out of there,” Krystal asked, barely speaking above a whisper.

“The only thing you would succeed in doing is getting yourselves thrown in again.”

Krystal stared him down, anger brimming at the surface. 

“Fine then,” she fought to keep her voice from cracking.   “Then I’ll just keep training until we can get you out.”

“Kufufu, I won’t be able to convince you otherwise, will I?”  Mukuro was back to looking at her amused.

“Hell no,” she said.  “Trust me, once I’m set on something there’s no changing my mind.  And if you refuse to train me, I’ll just find someone else and you won’t be allowed back here.”

Mukuro smirked, “I guess we’d better start training then.”

Krystal grinned and took out her sais.  “Sounds good to me!”

*********

**Lunch the next day**

Krystal hid behind the door on the Nami High roof, waiting for Sakura and Tsuna.  She held her arms in front of her so that the door wouldn’t hit her.  It wasn’t a long wait for the bell to ring.

The door flew open and she pushed it back, jumping out.  “Hello!”

Gokudera stumbled as Krystal hugged him..

“Get off me woman,” Gokudera snapped, trying to push her off. 

“So mean Gokudera…”  Krystal tightened her grip and let her weight drop.  Gokudera struggled to walk away as her legs tangled at his feet. 

“Krystal,” Sakura sighed as Yamamoto laughed beside her. 

“What?” Krystal grinned as she let go.  She bounced over to her lunch and sat down. 

“Will you quit trying to scare Juudaime?!”

“But he has such interesting expressions,” Krystal said.

Yamamoto laughed and sat down.  “Ma ma Gokudera.  She didn’t mean any harm.”

“See!  Listen to him,” Krystal exclaimed, gesturing towards Yamamoto.

Tsuna sat down between the boys.  “G-Gokudera-kun, it’s ok.”

Gokudera reluctantly sat down, glaring at Krystal who stuck her tongue out at him.

“Hey, Krystal,” Sakura said as she sat by her.  “Have you been going to school lately?”

“I’m here, aren’t I?”

“So you’ve been skipping school…”

“I’m still learning.  I’m just learning useful things.”  Krystal popped a grape in her mouth happily. 

Sakura shook her head.  “I remember a few years ago hearing that you went to school despite having a ridiculously high fever.” 

“America is terrible at giving people sick days.  Miss one day and that’s it!”  Krystal snapped her fingers. 

“I’m pretty sure that the fever you had would have qualified you for a sick day.”

“Hmm….Maybe….   Besides, I’ve been having more fun on my own.  I’ve started up a vegetable garden at Kokuyo and reading.”

“I didn’t know you garden,” Tsuna said.

Krystal raised her eyebrows at him.  “Yes.  I do a lot of different things.  Most of which you probably don’t know about.  I don’t suppose you knew that Mukuro was training me either, did you?”

“What?!”   Everyone seemed surprised by her statement.

“How is that possible?!”  Tsuna seemed to be in shock.

“I want to know how you can stand to be around him,” Sakura said.  “I wouldn’t trust him in a million years!” 

Krystal smiled.  “I’m not telling you.  And you may not trust him, but I do.”

“Are you really ok training with that guy?”  Yamamoto was looking at her concerned.

She waved him off.  “I don’t know why you guys are so worried.   I’m perfectly fine.   Really.  Mukuro’s a better person than you give him credit for.”

They looked up as there was a screeching sound overhead.  Krystal smiled, white wings outlined against the sky above her.  “Kestrel!”

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen one of those around here,” Sakura commented.

“What does it matter?  It’s just a stupid bird,” Gokudera said.

Krystal launched a grape at Gokudera’s forehead.  It hit and rolled off. 

“What the hell was that for?!”  Gokudera’s eyes flashed with anger.

Krystal narrowed her eyes at him and bared her teeth.  “Don’t you _dare_ call that bird stupid!” 

“Here we go…” Sakura muttered.

“It’s just a stupid bird!”

“It is not!   That bird gets more done in one day than you get done in a month!  He’s a much better fighter too!” 

Gokudera took out his dynamite and stood up.  “What did you say, woman?”

A wide grin spread across Krystal’s face against her better judgment.  “Do you really want me to repeat that?  I don’t want to embarrass you anymore after all.”

Sakura was holding back Gokudera now.  “Krystal, you shouldn’t tease him so much.”

“It’s his own fault for insulting that bird,” Krystal muttered.  “Besides, I’m starting to think it probably has better manners too.”

Lunch ended in disaster after Gokudera got free from Sakura. 

*****

Krystal kicked a pebble down the sidewalk, irritated that she hadn’t been able to get a good punch in.  That might finally knock some sense into Gokudera.

“Ha ha!  Look at it!  It’s so weak!”

“What a useless animal!”

A group of boys gathered around something on the ground.  Moving closer and leaning in, she could see a flash of orange feathers.  It was a kestrel. 

Its wing stuck out at an awkward angle, unable to fly.  The boys were pocking it with a stick and taunting it.  The bird spun trying to bite them but was always a second too late. 

“Stop it!”  Krystal pushed in front of them and stood between them.

“What are you going to do,” jeered one of the larger ones.

“Leave it alone!”  Krystal grabbed the stick as they tried to poke it again.  She waved it at them as she scolded them.  “What did he ever do to you?!”

“What’s your problem?  It’s just a bird,” one of the others said.  “It’s not like it actually feels-“

Krystal smacked him on the head with the stick, creating a nice crack.

“What the hell?!”  He held his head where she hit him.  His mouth hung open.

“Oh, I’m sorry.  I thought you didn’t have feelings,” Krystal mocked with a smile.  She was trembling slightly, adrenaline starting its course.  The boys who were taller, and probably stronger, than her.  This was not a good time to be mouthing off.

“You-“ one of the boys started moving towards her.

“I really don’t think you want to do that,” she warned, moving into a fighting stance, stick in hand. 

He punched.  Krystal dodged and sidekicked him in the stomach. 

“Sorry,” she squeaked, covering her mouth.  He fell on all fours, wheezing. 

Another punch connected with her jaw.  Snapping back to look at him, she hissed. 

The boy grabbed her wrist.  Krystal growled and whipped the stick at his arm.

He let go and stepped back.  “She growled!”

“What the hell, man.”

“Come on, let’s go!” 

They scattered and left her with the stick.  She tossed it away and turned back to the bird.

Sighing, she crouched down.  The kestrel kept it’s on her. 

“It’s ok,” she muttered softly.  “I’m not going to hurt you.”

The falcon snapped and hissed at her hand as Krystal reached out.  She drew her hand back.  The right wing seemed to be injured, but she couldn’t tell without a closer look. 

Krystal moved about a foot away and looked around in the grass until she found a new stick.

He watched the stick, giving it the stink eye.  Krystal moved it slowly towards the bird.  When it lunged and bit the branch she reached behind and grabbed its neck and wings.  Her grip slipped a bit as it flapped and tried to get away.

“You’re alright,” she muttered as it screeched.  People walking by on the other side of the street hurried past, looking over their shoulder at her.

Krystal kept in his line of vision as she stretched to pet the top of his head.  The kestrel still had a lot of mobility but not quite enough to hurt her.  She shushed the bird lightly as she stroked its head and stroked around the eye. 

The bird’s breathing seemed to calm and slow a bit as she continued.  Slowly she stopped and moved her hand to reach for feet.  It tried to flap and lashed out with its feet.

Krystal felt the talons rake lightly across the top of her hand.  She cursed lightly but managed to get a grip on the feet.  Lifting the bird up and Krystal craned her head to look at her hand.  There were several streaks across her hand that were bleeding. 

She examined the bird’s wing as closely as she could without touching.  It seemed to be broken, but she couldn’t do anything with her position at the moment. 

“I’m going to take you back home with me and fix that.” 

The kestrel merely glared at her.

*****

**Back at Kokuyo**

Ken and Chikusa were playing video games in the spare room when Krystal came back so she took the kestrel over to her bed.  There was a small piece of curtain nearby she dragged over.  Letting go of the feet, she quickly wrapped the bird up so that only the one wing and head were free. 

With her right hand she kept her grip on the curtain around the bird and looked at her other hand.  It had stopped bleeding a while ago, but was covered in dried blood.  The cuts were shallow, maybe just enough to prevent scarring.

Krystal carried the bird around with her until she found a piece of heavy piping.  Using one of the old curtains and pipe, she created a tether for it.

She pulled the rest of the curtain over the bird’s head and set the wing. 

“There we go.”  Krystal slipped the curtain off of him. 

He turned and tried to bite her, but Krystal sat just out of range.  She sat as he continued to screech and hiss.

“What the hell is that,” Ken yelled from the other room.

“None of your business Ken,” she shouted back.  “I’m working in here!!”

She heard him snap something at Chikusa though she couldn’t make it out.  The bird eventually stopped screeching and glared at her. 

Food wouldn’t be too difficult to find for it here.  Mice were a common occurrence along with other small animals. 

“We need to find a name for you,” she said.  “How about Auron?   Does that work?” 

The bird screeched at her.  

“I’ll take that as a yes.”  Krystal smiled and resisted the temptation to pet him.  She could look up falconry information later.  “Finally we just need to figure out how to explain you to the others.”

*****

**Later that evening**

Krystal stretched and looked around her pond.  The water was clear and tonight fireflies danced around over the surface. 

Changing to a bathing suit, Krystal slipped in.  The water was warm and enveloped her like a blanket. 

Krystal swam around for a while before settling on the large rock in the center.  She laid on her stomach and closed her eyes.  Heat wafted over her from the pond.  It was her little slice of heaven, if that even existed.

Opening her eyes, she saw Mukuro watching her from the edge.  Krystal waved and rolled off the rock.  She was over to him and rested her elbows on the ground. 

“Hello,” she said, waving and grinning. 

“Kufufufu.  It looks like you’re having fun,” Mukuro said.

Krystal laughed and pushed off from the shore.  “Of course!  You should join me!”

Mukuro shook his head. 

“Come on in!  The water’s fine.”  Krystal treaded water, motioning for him to get in.

“I’m not going to swim,” he said.

Krystal pouted slightly before swimming back over.   “It’ll be fun!”  

Grabbing his foot, she tried to drag him.  Mukuro gently removed her fingers and waved her off. 

Krystal splashed some water up at Mukuro.  “Please…..” 

Mukuro’s eyes narrowed as he focused in on her hand.  “Krystal, come here.”

Krystal tilted her head but swam.  “What is it?”

He grabbed her left hand and frowned at the marks Auron left, his thumb brushing over them.  “Where did these come from?” 

Krystal pulled her hand back and lifted herself up so she was sitting on the shore. 

“Auron did that to me,” Krystal said moving her hair out of the way so she could see Mukuro better.  “Auron’s the kestrel I took in.  His wing’s broken.   When I tried to help him, he did this, butI cleaned it out and it’s fine.” 

Krystal flopped back on the grass.  She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.  “I wish we could have summer all year!  Warmth and fireflies and sunlight…and s’mores.”

Mukuro chuckled and Krystal smiled at him. 

“You know, I think I know why I like you and Ken and Chikusa and Chrome better than Tsuna and the others,” she mused.  “It’s because you’re all just as strange as me.  You’re all outcasts in your own way.  Yamamoto, Gokudera, Ryohei, Hibari, etc…They would all be popular without Tsuna.  Even Sakura is so friendly and a people pleaser.  But when it comes to me, I don’t even remember a time I wasn’t bullied.  I’m just as out of place as you.” 

Krystal suddenly sat up.  “By the way, am I the only one who thinks that Ken is just an overgrown human puppy?”

Mukuro laughed, full on eyes closed, head thrown back style. 

He usually didn’t look this happy.  His genuine smile was beautiful. 

“I’d never thought of it like that,” Mukuro said as he calmed down. 

Krystal grinned.  “Well, he is!  But don’t bother pointing it out to him.  He wouldn’t care and besides, I’d prefer he stay the same.  Now…”

Krystal lunged at Mukuro and pushed him into the pond.

Laughing, she jumped in too.  When she surfaced she could see Mukuro moving back to shore.  Krystal started laughing again.  “You-You’re hair!!” 

Mukuro’s hair spikes wilted in the water. 

“Oh my God…I’m dying!”   Krystal could barely breathe she was laughing so hard. 

Mukuro glared at her but that only seemed to make her laugh more.  Krystal’s laughs turned to coughing as she swam to the shore.  There she continued to cough and could barely breath. 

Mukuro sighed.  “I’m going to have to keep an eye on you.”

Krystal frowned as she noticed he was dry again.  “Anyways…  I should probably go back to normal dreaming.  No training tonight.” 

Krystal hugged Mukuro.  “Good night.”  She ruffled his spikes gently.  “And try not to fall into anymore water, ok?”

“Kufufufu, I’ll be fine as long you aren’t there.”

Krystal scoffed lightly and smiled.  “See ya!”


	22. Heather

**About A Week Later**

Krystal sat in Tsuna’s room, watching her friends try to figure out their homework.  From the bed she could see all their papers and their mistakes. 

“Here, try it this way,” Sakura said explaining the problem to Tsuna for the hundredth time. 

There was a knock on the door and Tsuna’s mom poked her head in.  “Krystal?  There’s someone downstairs for you.”

Krystal looked up and nodded.  It was probably just Ken or Chikusa.  “I’ll be right back.”   Krystal leapt off the bed and headed down.

Automatically she went to the kitchen, but she didn’t see anyone around.  Suddenly someone tickled her sides and she screamed.

Krystal jumped and turned to see who it was, fists raised.  Her eyes went wide.   “Heather?!”

Heather laughed loudly and grinned.  “Hey there, lil sis!” 

Krystal froze, her heart still racing from the scare.  This couldn’t be happening.

“Krystal, are you ok?”  Sakura stopped on the stairs when she saw Heather.  Her voice suddenly got cold, “What are you doing here?”

“I just wanted to see my baby sister,” Heather said, throwing an arm around Krystal’s shoulder.  “After all, she left home so quickly…”

“Krystal, what’s up,” Yamamoto said as Krystal moved away and stood by Sakura. 

“This is my sister, Heather,” Krystal said quietly.  Her stomach felt like it was boiling. 

“I should have known,” Gokudera said.  “You two look almost the same.”

Gokudera was right.  Heather could have been an older version of Krystal with darker hair. 

“Why are you here,” Krystal asked, pushing Heather’s arm off her.

“I’m engaged,” Heather said cheerfully showing the ring.  There were congratulations around, but Krystal’s sick feeling grew.  “And wanted to ask you in person to be my bridesmaid.  After all, you might not get another chance.”

Krystal opened her mouth but nothing came out.  Her eyes teared up slightly.  Krystal knew her sister wasn’t talking about another chance to be bridesmaid, she was implying that this was the closest she’d ever get to be in a wedding. 

“Oh, you don’t have to answer right away,” Heather said.  “I brought him with me and we’re having a get together here tonight.”

Heather handed her a piece of paper with an address on it.  Krystal cautiously took it and pocketed it.  “The rest of you are invited too! There will be plenty of food.”

“Excuse me,” Krystal moved back and started out of the house as quickly as she could. 

“Krystal,” Tsuna said, but Krystal ignored him and once she was out started running back to Kokuyo.

*****

**Kokuyo**

Krystal sat on her bed with her head in between her knees.  _‘Deep breaths…’_   

Knowing Heather, she wasn’t there just to ask Krystal that.  Nothing her sister did was this simple.  There was another reason.

She groaned and laid down.  She should probably go to the party tonight.  Her sister would just try to track her down if she didn’t.  Heather’s fiancé intrigued her and she wondered what kind of person he’d be.  Heather’s record with men was not that great.

 _‘I should have asked for his name,’_ Krystal thought.  Then it would be easy to pull up the history on the guy. 

So much for Japan being an escape.

“What am I going to do,” she asked the ceiling.

*****

**Later that evening**

Krystal followed the address her sister had given her.  It led her straight to Yamamoto’s restaurant.  _‘Of all the places…’_

Krystal pushed open the door slowly.  Heather was playing a game with her friends.  “Krystal!” Heather waved her over. 

“Hi, Heather,” Krystal said as she walked over.  She stepped lightly and her skin buzzed with nervousness.

Heather stood up and brought her towards a guy Krystal didn’t know.  His black hair was cut short and at odds with his light blue eyes.  He looked up at their approach. 

“You must be Krystal,” he said extending his hand.  “I’m John.”

“Nice to meet you,” Krystal said and took a seat across from him.  She had meant to stop by her friends and say hi, but they were involved in the game.  Krystal turned to Heather, but she’d already gone back. 

“I heard you like the Beatles, who’s your favorite,” he asked in English.

“Ah, George.”  Krystal examined his outfit, though there was nothing that telling.  Just jeans and flannel.  She answered back in English, happy to be speaking it again.  “He’s easily the most underrated despite his brilliant talent on musical instruments.  He played 26 different instruments!  How about you?”

“Paul,” he said.  “He wrote a majority of the music after all.”

“Paul was pretty great, wasn’t he?”  Krystal smiled at him.  Maybe he wasn’t so bad.  “So, how did you and Heather meet?”

“Just out on the town,” he said.  “We kept running into each other.  Jaden likes her a lot.”

“Jaden?”

“My son.”

Krystal nodded.  That may or may not mean something.  “So you have a kid?”

“He’s my third,” John said, pulling a picture out of his wallet.  Jaden looked like him.  “I have two daughters too.  Neither of their moms let me see them often.”

“What kind of work do you do,” she asked, eager to change topics.  His comments were starting to become red flags.

“I’m a shipping manager,” he said.  “What do you do here?”

Krystal smiled awkwardly.  “I don’t technically work right now.  I’m focusing on my education.”

“Oh, right,” he said.  “Heather said you’re one of those intellectual types.  You probably think what I do is pretty dumb.”

Krystal’s eyebrow furrowed in confusion.  “No.  Sometimes work is just work-“

“I mean,” he leaned forward and grabbed her hand, “look at you.  You have such dainty little hands!  You’ve never worked a day in your life, have you?”

Suddenly he grabbed Krystal’s hand. Krystal didn’t react as she was so surprised.

Krystal was taken aback by his condescending tone.  It sounded exactly like Heather’s.  Krystal pulled back her hand.   “Ex-Excuse me?”  

“You haven’t done anything.  Money is just handed too you.  Not that you’d be able to do much with those hands.”

“I don’t suppose she also told you that I have a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, did she,” Krystal asked a little coldly.

John started laughing.   “What BS!”

Krystal stared at him in shock.  She’d had people who brushed it off or didn’t care, but never anyone who outright disregarded her.  Krystal stood up and walked away, unable to deal with this. 

“Hey, wait,” he said.  Krystal heard him stand and he grabbed her wrist.  She wrenched it away and twisted his wrist back.  John fell to his knees and yowled. 

“What the hell?!”

“Krystal,” Heather yelled, immediately standing up. 

“Are you ok?”  Everyone gathered around John except for Sakura who approached Krystal.  Yamamoto’s father was hurrying out to check on him.

“Oh, shut up, you big baby,” Krystal said to John.  “I didn’t hurt you.” 

_‘After all, such dainty little hands couldn’t have done this to someone as big and strong as you…Right?’_

“Krystal, don’t treat my fiancé like that!”  Heather stood in between them.

Heather glared at her and continued.  “Why do you always have to ruin these things?  You always have to be the center of attention, don’t you?  How selfish can you get?”

The words dig into her skin like burrs.  Krystal’s eyes narrowed in an attempt to keep tears at bay.  “I’m leaving,” Krystal said. 

“Running away again,” Heather said.  “Just like you did last time I needed you.”

Krystal turned for a second at the doorway, “Oh and I guess you should know that I’m not going to be your bridesmaid.  I refuse.” 

Krystal should have kept walking.  Should have continued down the road, but something kept her there.  She waited outside just within earshot.

“Are you ok, John,” Heather asked. 

“You’re sister is crazy!  First she insults you and me and next thing I know she’s flipping me on the floor!”  Krystal heard him say. 

“What did you mean she’s running away again,” Tsuna asked.

“She came to Japan to run away from me.  She thinks I’m evil. After our father left I offered to take care of her but she left me all alone.”  

 _‘Lies.’_  

“She’d always lie to our dad in order to try and turn him against me too.  I don’t know what I did,” Heather said sounding defeated. 

Krystal took off back to Kokuyo.  She knew exactly what would happen.  Heather would finish her sob story and everyone would back her.  Nobody ever believed Krystal.

*****

**Kokuyo**

Krystal had finished crying by the time she got back to Kokuyo.  She was careful not to run into Ken, Chikusa, or Chrome before slipping into bed.  Being around people would not be a good idea right now.

Krystal climbed the tree as far up as she could at the pond.  Heather’s words had buried under her skin.

 _‘Am I selfish,’_ she thought.  _‘I don’t try to be….’_   

John’s comments also came back and she found herself staring at her hands.  The scratches from Auron on the back of her hand were fading, but feeling them, they were softer and smaller than the thought.  _‘Piano hands.’_  

Krystal sighed.  Her hands had done so much for her.  The thought that they might not be enough unsettled her. 

“Krystal,” Mukuro called.

Krystal stayed silent as she looked down through the leaves.  One part of her was delighted to see him, another wished he would go away. 

Mukuro looked around a bit before finally looking up.  Krystal looked away when their eyes met.

“Kufufu, what are you doing up there?” 

Krystal hesitated, but quickly climbed down.  When she hit the ground, she ran and hugged him.  “I don’t want to wake up.  I don’t want to have to go back.” 

“What happened,” Mukuro asked as he pushed her off gently.

Krystal sat down and put her head in her hands.  “Heather.  She showed up today and I don’t know why.   She’s engaged.  Her fiancé is just like her.  And she wants me to be her bridesmaid, but I know if I do she’ll just use the opportunity to turn our family against me even more.  She hates me.   She really does.  And I don’t know what to do.   Heather’s going to turn all of them against me too.  It’s what she does.  She follows me around and makes my life miserable!”

She hugged herself in an attempt to hold herself together.  “I love her.  She’s my sister.  I’d do anything for her, but when she acts like this….”

“Where is she staying,” Mukuro asked coldly.

Krystal shook her head.  “I don’t know.  Sakura didn’t know she was here so she isn’t staying there.  Most likely a hotel….but….oh!  Don’t hurt her!   Don’t do anything!”   She looked up at Mukuro who was looking at her quizzically and coldly.

“Why do you care so much when she treats you this way?”

That confused Krystal.  “How could I not?  She’s my sister, family.  I wanted to be just like her a kid until she started showing this side to her personality.”

Mukuro sighed.  “Do you hate anyone?”

The question too her off guard again.  Krystal thought about it before shaking her head.  “There’s no one that has given me enough reason to hate them.”

“Why must you be like this,” Mukuro muttered. 

Krystal looked up at him curiously.  “Like what?” 

He shook his head and knelt down.  Krystal blushed slightly as Mukuro looked at her.  He seemed to be thinking.  After a minute Krystal finally spoke, “M-Mukuro?” 

He seemed to almost jerk back and stood up again.  “Kufufu.  I need to leave.”

Krystal blinked.   “W-Wait!  What do you mean?!”

Krystal stood up, but he was gone too.  “Mukuro,” she yelled desperately as her tears came back quickly. 

“Damn it….” She muttered and tried to wipe away the tears.  They kept coming and Krystal collapsed by the tree. 

_‘Everyone leaves me at some point…  What am I going to do when there’s nobody left around me?’_

*****

**Next morning**

“You’re finally awake, byon,” Ken yelled across the room as Krystal sat up.

Krystal glared at him.   “I just got up.  I suppose I can’t ask you to speak any softer?” 

Ken obviously didn’t hear her.  Krystal yawned and looked over at Auron.  She smiled when she saw he was still sleeping somehow.  Her hand moved to pet him, but pulled back so she wouldn’t wake him.

She went and joined the others for breakfast.  She grabbed a bagel and glass of milk and sat down by them.

“How was the party last night,” Chikusa asked.

“Oh…that….”  Krystal had only told them she was going to a party yesterday.  She hadn’t explained anything about Heather.  “It could have gone better.  My sister seemed to get along with everyone just fine.”

Ken about choked on his food.  “You have a sister?!”

Krystal nodded.  She was losing her appetite quick, but she forced herself to eat anyways.  She’d only end up faint later if she didn’t.  “Her name’s Heather and she’s…”  Krystal struggled for a word that wouldn’t make her seem terrible.  “Interesting.” 

“Krystal!”  Krystal turned to find herself being hugged by Sakura. 

“What are-?” Krystal began but stopped.  Ken had stood up and looked ready to attack.

“Are you ok,” Sakura asked as she let go.  “Heather was harsh last night.  If you’d just let me….”  It was one of the few times Krystal had seen her cousin so angry.  “And don’t worry.  Tsuna and the others didn’t listen to her.  I hope you don’t mind but I told them a little bit about you two.”

Krystal shook her head.  “I don’t care.  I’m fine right now.   I’m sure Heather is having a nasty fit over my refusing her request.”

“You don’t know the half of it.”

“That bad after I left, was it?” 

“She did a good job of keeping up the act, but it was still bad.  What did John say to you anyways?”

“Ah…”  Krystal looked down.  The feelings still hadn’t gone away, though it made her feel better to know her friends didn’t listen to Heather.  And yet…..her thoughts drifted to how Mukuro had left so abruptly.  “Let’s just say Heather been feeding him the same lies she has the rest of our family.”

Sakura sighed and nodded. 

“Did something happen last night,” Chikusa asked.

Sakura immediately replied.  “Krystal’s sister was being a bit-“

“Highly unpleasant,” Krystal finished with a glare to Sakura.

Sakura was annoyed.  “Well, she was.  I don’t know how you can be so nice about her.”

Krystal sighed.  She didn’t even know herself.  “Thanks for visiting, Sakura.  It means a lot to me.” 

Sakura hugged her again.  “No problem.  Also,” she looked around as she pulled back, “where’s Chrome?”

“You know that’s actually a good question,” Krystal said.

“She’s still sleeping,” Chikusa said. 

Sakura nodded.  “Will you come hang out today?”

Krystal shook her head.  “I’m staying here until I’m positive Heather is gone.  I’d rather not see her again.”

“Well, see you around!”  Sakura waved as she left.

*****

**Later That Day**

It was a good day to work outside.  The sun was shining and it wasn’t too hot. 

The garden needed weeding and she needed to figure out a way to protect it.  Something had been nibbling on her few sprouts. 

At least the garlic shouldn’t be in danger.  It grew like a weed.  Digging a little by the roots she could see it was growing well. 

After weeding a bit, she sighed and surveyed her work.  Leaning forward on her knuckles from her crouch, she pulled a new weed from the border.  She could tackle the back left corner after a break.

Bouncing back up Krystal stretched.  _‘I wonder how much longer Heather will stay…’_   There should be no reason for Heather to stay any longer after Krystal’s refusal to be bridesmaid. 

“What a dump this place is.”  Krystal froze at the voice.   “Don’t tell me this is where you’ve been staying.”

Heather was walking towards her.  “What are you doing here,” Krystal asked.

“I wanted to see if you’d changed your mind about being bridesmaid.  Surely you miss home, don’t you,” Heather asked.

Krystal stood, her legs shaking slightly.  “This is my home now, Heather.  Besides, why don’t you ask your stepsister?  I’m sure she’d love to.” 

Heather shook her head.  “I want you.  I heard you got into some trouble a while ago.  I thought I should check on you.”

“Well, as you can see checking on me was unnecessary.  I’m happy where I am.”  Krystal walked to the back corner, hoping to put some distance between them.

“Are they making you say that,” Heather asked suddenly.  “Those boys you’re staying with?”

Krystal looked up at her in confusion.  “Ken and Chikusa?  Why would they?”

“Or is it Sakura?  Because if Sakura’s making you say this, you can come home with me and we can get you away from her.  You don’t have to be her puppet.”

Krystal bristled at the thought of being anyone’s ‘puppet’.  She faced Heather.  Her sister actually thought that someone was forcing her to.  “I am no one’s puppet, Heather.  I just don’t want to be your bridesmaid.  It’s that simple.”

Heather’s expression which had been feigned concern immediately switched to anger.  “What did I do to you that makes you act like this?!  All I’ve ever done is try to help you!  Look, I’ll pay for you to fly back home.  I’ll cover the expenses for the dress, in fact I can have my mom make it and everything will be fine!  John isn’t upset over what happened last night.  He’s willing to try again with you so long as you apologize.”

Krystal shook her head.  Dealing with her sister made her tired and the tears were threatening to come again.  “I have nothing to apologize for.  John said things he shouldn’t have and honestly, I don’t approve of you two.  He’s a complete jerk.  I did some research this morning and he has a history of domestic abuse, sis.  I love you, but I will not be your bridesmaid.”

Heather was furious.  “Those charges were completely false!  Those women were paid to lie about him.  Besides they would have had it coming.  John is a real man and he won’t stand for disrespect!”

Krystal looked at her sister sadly.  Heather had always had a terrible temper, but it was her refusal to see the truth that had always bothered her the most.

“And what the hell are you doing here anyways?!  Since when did you garden?”  Heather reached down and pulled out the garlic.  Krystal gasped and moved to stop her.

“Heather, no!”  If Heather went on a rampage in her garden….

“What is this anyways?”  She threw the plant away in disgust.  Krystal gingerly knelt down by it and picked up the plant.  It was ruined.  The actual garlic was still underground and too small to be used.  The garlic couldn’t grow without its leaves.  The tears came and Krystal found herself sobbing over the loss of her plant. 

“You are just like your mother…” The way Heather said it, it was clear it was meant to be an insult.  “It’s a plant.  It doesn’t have feelings.  See?” 

Krystal watched in horror as Heather pulled up another plant.  Heather looked at her in disgust.  “No wonder she killed herself.  No one would want you as their daughter.  Not even our father.  You never had any friends except for that one girl who moved.  Nobody loves you and nobody ever will.”

Krystal hugged the plant to her chest.  Krystal tried to stop the keening that threatened to escape through her lips.  She’d always had the suspicion that Heather hated her but now….  “P-P-Please….Heather….”   Even now she wanted her sister to reach out and hug her.  To comfort her. 

“Kufufu.  I think you should leave now.”

Krystal looked up.  Though her vision was a bit blurry from the tears, there was no mistaking that laugh.  Mukuro had his trident aimed at Heather and his typical smirk on his face.  Yet his eyes were completely cold as they stared down Heather. 

“Who the hell are you,” Heather asked, not at all intimidated by the weapon or Mukuro.

“You are on my territory.  I suggest you leave now.” 

Heather scoffed angrily.  “I’ll leave once I’m finished talking with my sister.”

As Heather turned back to Krystal an illusion of a pillar of fire appeared between the two.  Krystal couldn’t clearly see Heather’s reactions as she turned angrily to Mukuro.  “You could have killed me!!”

“Oya?  I could have?”  His tone was mocking as the pillar disappeared. 

“I’ll have you arrested for that!  If the cops have any sense-“ Heather was cut off by Mukuro.

“I told you to leave.  You are trespassing on my territory.” 

Heather was moving away now.  “Come on, Krystal.” 

Krystal was surprised as Mukuro stepped between them.  “Leave now.  If you ever try to contact Krystal again, I will personally take care of you.” 

Heather glared at him but eventually left.  Mukuro turned and knelt by Krystal.  “Are you ok?”

Krystal nodded as Mukuro carefully removed the plant from her hands.  “She….she….”  The tears started flowing again. 

“Kufufu, she won’t bother you anymore.”  Krystal’s head collided with his chest as he pulled her in.  Krystal wanted to bury herself into him, but was only too aware that while this was Mukuro, it wasn’t truly him. 

She pulled back slowly.  “Th-Thank y-you….”  Krystal looked at her garden and bit her lip.  The other poor plant Heather had torn up was laying in the middle of the garden.  Krystal thought about standing, but even that exhausted her.   Lying down in the dirt seemed like a perfectly fine idea to her.

Mukuro caught her as she started to lean back.  “Oya, don’t collapse here.”  Krystal felt an arm behind her back and behind her knees and she was being lifted.  “You’re lighter than I thought.”

Krystal let out a small laugh that almost sounded like a sob.  “Bird bones,” she said.  Her sister had used that to describe her a long time ago and it was true.  She had tiny bones for someone her size.  It felt strange to her to be carried like this.

“Kufufufu.  You really are a little bird.” 

“Queen of birds,” Krystal said softly now that she was feeling a little bit better.  Her friend had always called her that and she had taken the title to heart.

Mukuro shook his head but stayed silent as they got inside the building. 

“Mukuro-san!” Ken exclaimed and ran over as Mukuro came in.  Chikusa followed close behind.

Mukuro chuckled as he laid Krystal on her bed. 

“Ken, Chikusa, give Krystal some space and take care of her.” 

Krystal didn’t see their reaction as she was already curled up and almost asleep on her bed.  Auron let out a quiet chirp and she was gone.  Krystal’s sleep was wonderfully dreamless and silent.

*****

**Next Day at Lunch**

“I don’t know what you did to her,” Sakura said, “but I’ve never seen Heather so flustered!  She took the first plane out of here that she could get.”

Krystal had joined her friends for lunch on the Nami High roof.  Auron sat by Krystal and seemed to be eyeing Gokudera’s hand. 

Krystal smiled brightly.  “As much as I hate saying it, I’m glad to have her gone.”

“Did she say anything to you,” Tsuna asked. 

Krystal thought about it for a split second before answering.  “Not much.  What mainly happened was a rampage around the garden.  And I’m glad it wasn’t anything more.”

“Heather didn’t scream at you?” Sakura looked at her amazed. 

“Oh, there was plenty of screaming,” Krystal said as she absent-mindedly pet Auron.  “It’s just the garden is of more concern to me.”

Sakura gave her a look.  “That’s not like you.  I always heard that you used to hide under the bed to get away when you were a kid.”

“Ah, really,” Tsuna said. 

“I don’t really remember that,” Krystal said.  “What I do remember is getting very good at dodging thrown objects.  I’m rather glad there wasn’t any silverware or glasses around that she could throw at me.  Or some kind of gun for that matter,” Krystal’s mind wandered back to those days.  Her sister’s rampages were always frightening. 

“G-Guns?!”  Tsuna looked at Krystal in astonishment. 

Krystal nodded.  “Thankfully we didn’t keep guns in the house because I don’t doubt that she would have used one.   I only remember getting hit once as a kid and that was with a flying spoon.  I learned to get out of her way very quickly.  But anyways, it’s fine.  She’s gone and the weather is wonderful.”  Krystal stretched back and soaked in the sun. 

Thankfully Sakura was able to help her shift the conversation elsewhere and Heather was forgotten.  Krystal smiled as she mainly watched the others talk, thankful to have friends like them. 


	23. Arveria

**Chapter 23**

Krystal was headed to the store for more food when Sakura came running up to her followed by Yamamoto.

“Hey guys,” she said cheerfully.  It had been a few days since she’d seen them around.  Krystal had been busy with her garden, fixing it from Heather.  Auron screeched at them from her shoulder.  “What’s up?”

“Have you seen Reborn,” Sakura asked. 

“He’s gone missing,” Yamamoto said.

“Reborn?”  Krystal looked between the two of them.  It wasn’t like Reborn to just disappear.  Perhaps this was another weird training exercise?  “He’s missing?  I’m sure he’s fine though.  This is Reborn we’re talking about.”

Sakura still looked concerned.  “Tsuna said he’s been missing for a few days.”

“Would you guys like some help?  I’m not doing anything right now.”  Their concern was starting to rub off.

“If you want to,” Sakura said, shrugging. 

Krystal forgot about the groceries and followed her friends as they searched for Reborn. 

*****

**Later that evening**

Krystal was returning back to Kokuyo.  They’d searched all over town but had found nothing.  They hadn’t been able to meet back up with Tsuna and Gokudera, but they weren’t worried about that.  Tomorrow they could meet up. 

Auron returned to perch on Krystal’s shoulder.  “Hey, there,” she said as he nuzzled her cheek.  “You find some dinner for yourself?”

He only let out a chirp.  Krystal sighed.  “I hope Reborn’s alright.  We’ll continue searching tomorrow.  Let’s head home for tonight.” 

*****

**Next Afternoon**

Krystal slept in longer than she meant.  Her intention had been to get up at a good time and track down everyone to find Reborn.  It was already one though and she was just now leaving Kokuyo.  _‘This is what I get for being a night owl….’_

She stopped by Tsuna’s house where she found Sakura arriving too.  “Morning, er, afternoon!”

“Have you seen Yamamoto,” Sakura asked.  “I can’t find him.  In fact, I can’t find anybody.  Haru and Kyoko are gone along with Tsuna and Gokudera.  Lambo and I-Pin are gone too.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Krystal said, her eyes widening.  “Have you checked on Ryohei yet?  Or Hibari?”

Sakura shook her head.  “I’ll go see Ryohei if you can check Hibari.”

Krystal nodded.  “Got it!”   She took off in a near sprint to Nami High.  _‘Surely Hibari isn’t gone.  Hibari wouldn’t be beat.’_

She arrived at Nami High and quickly ran to the roof.  That’s where he usually was.  Krystal burst through the door to the roof. 

“I’ll bite you to death, herbivore.” 

Krystal turned to see Hibari above her.  “Hibari!” she said in relief.  “Have you seen Reborn?  He’s been missing for several days now.”

Hibari lowered the tonfas as Hibird returned to his shoulder.  “Hn.  The baby’s gone?”

Krystal nodded.  “We’ve been looking for him.  I’ll leave you alone, but please let me know if you see him around.”

She sighed as he went back to napping.  She waved at Hibird before quietly leaving. 

She pulled out her phone as Auron finally caught up to her and landed on her shoulder.  Krystal dialed Sakura and held up the phone.  It rang several times before going to voicemail.  She gave it a strange look, but left a quick message telling her to meet her at the restaurant in Kokuyo and that Hibari was fine.

Krystal flipped it shut and stuffed it back in her pocket.  “Let’s go, Auron.  I’ll race you there!”

*****

“Krystal, Krystal, wake up!” 

Krystal groaned and shoved the hands that were shaking her off.  “What do you want, Ken?”

“Chrome’s gone!”

Krystal sat up and accidentally collided heads with him.  She gently touched her forehead as he yowled and backed up.

“That was your own fault for being so close, Ken,” Chikusa said.

“Shut up, four eyes!”  Ken rubbed his forehead. 

“Chrome’s missing too now,” Krystal asked, trying to catch up.

Chikusa nodded.  “She wasn’t here this morning.”

Krystal bit her lip.  Everyone was gone it seemed.  “What is going on….?”

*****

**Italy, 9 Years 10 Months Later**

The cool metal seat bit at Arveria’s legs.  Her hand sheltered her eyes from the sun.  Taking a sip of her drink, she watched the doors of the skyscraper across the street.  Goosebumps crawled up her arms from being this close to Millefiore’s headquarters. 

It easily towered over everything else.  The people coming in and out were miniscule and she couldn’t even see the top. 

Arveria frowned.  Nobody familiar was in the small group of people exiting, though their uniforms indicated they weren’t grunts.  They continued down the street, never looking in her direction. 

Once attacks had started on the Vongola, Mukuro laid out his own plan of action.  Since then, he’d been undercover in the Millefiore.  She and Fran took turns watching from outside.  If something went wrong, Mukuro would need them.

Pulling her phone out of her purse, Arveria checked for any missed calls.  She played with the ring hanging from her neck as she sighed.  Fran was late and Arveria needed to get going to catch her plane.

The doors opened again as a grunt entered.  The croak from her phone made her look down.  Pulling up the text, it read, “coming”. 

Arveria slipped it back into her purse and stood up.  Finishing her drink, she threw it out as she left.

*****

Arveria’s heart was heavy as she sat at the edge of the pool in her dream.  It mirrored the starry sky above, her fingers disturbing the image.  She closed her eyes.  The darkness was almost soothing.  It hid her from her other thoughts and feelings…

“Kufufufu, it’s been a while, my little bird.”

“Mukuro!”  She stood and turned to see him standing by her tree.  Running towards him, she tackled him with a hug.  “It’s so good to see you again!”

One hand rested on her back and pulled her closer while the other rested on her cheek.  “It’s good to see you, too.”

“I’m heading for Japan right now,” she said.  “The entrance is still where you said it was, right?”

Mukuro nodded.  “That shouldn’t have changed.”

Arveria pulled back and held his face in her hands.  “And are you ok?  We haven’t noticed anything while watching the Millefiore, but they aren’t suspicious?”

Mukuro chuckled as he took her hands off.  “I’m fine right now.”  He smiled strangely.  “My time might be up there though.  I’m going to try to get out while I can.  I will send some information to Chrome and the Vongola.”

Arveria looked at him in concern.  “I heard about that boy you’re using, Guido Greco.  Do you have to be so obvious?  If Byakuran has even done a little research…”

“I’m sure he already knows,” Mukuro said.

 “Then why the hell are you still there?!  Get out!  Or do Fran and I have to get you out of there, too?!”  Arveria was close to yelling, but not quite. 

Mukuro looked at her in amusement.  “You’re really worried, aren’t you?”

“And there you go again answering a question with a question again.  Can’t you give me a straight answer?”  Arveria looked at him in exasperation.

“Kufufufu, now where’s the fun in that?”

Arveria blushed and sighed.  Sometimes Mukuro wore her out.  Arveria started slightly as she felt his hand cup her cheek.

“I’m sorry,” he said gently before kissing her.  Arveria let him and kissed him back.  Sometime later she pulled back and rested her head on his shoulder.  Mukuro’s arms were reassuring as he held her.

“At least you apologize…” Arveria murmured still blushing. 

“Of course, I’d still like to engage with him.”

“You want to _fight him_?  You’re going to get yourself _killed_.  If you get yourself killed, what am I going to do?”  Arveria threw her hands up.  “You’re officially insane.”

“You will be fine.”  Fingers grasped her chin, drawing her face in close to his.  Arveria frowned.  “Nothing will happen.”

Leaning forward, Arveria pressed her lips against his.  “If anything happens, I’m going to kill you myself, dumbass.”

Arveria backed away.  “Now get yourself out of there!  Don’t waste anymore time here.” 

Mukuro laughed as Arveria made a shooing motion with her hands.  “I’ll be back, my little bird.”

“You’d better be,” Arveria huffed as he disappeared. 

*****

**Vongola Base**

Mukuro was right.  Once you knew where the entrance was, it wasn’t too hard to find.  It was basically a metal cavern in the middle of the forest.  The door at the end of it was what bothered her.

Arveria frowned at the handprint scanner.  When this had been made, she hadn’t been present.

Her knocks echoed in the empty space.  “Hello?!  Anybody home?” 

Auron’s feathers tickled her face and his talons pinched her shoulder.  Her cheek twitched.  The scanner was cool against her hand.  It beeped and turned red before going silent again. 

She knocked on the door again.  “Please, it’s Arveria.”

The door slid open after a few more knocks.  Fuuta stood in the entrance and smiled.

“It’s good to see you again,” he said.

“Fuuta!”  Arveria stepped in and hugged him.  “It’s good to see you too.  So where is everyone?”

“They’re in a meeting right now.”

“Perfect!  Can you show me where?”

Arveria followed him through the facility, but they didn’t have to go far.  The room was tucked in past the kitchen.

“I’ll catch ya later, ok,” Arveria asked, setting her bag by the wall.

“That sounds good,” Fuuta said.  “I’m glad you’re here.”

*****

Pausing in the doorway, she looked at her friends.  They looked just like they had in school!  They were so young and didn’t look like they should be involved in a war. 

“Hello,” she said, drawing their attention.

“Who are you?”  Sakura turned to look at her.  Her eyes narrowed and she looked her up and down. 

“Arveria, I didn’t know you’d be coming,” Lal said.  She barely bothered a glance in Arveria’s direction except to glare.

Arveria shrugged.  “My schedule’s a little crazy, you know.  Had to fight a dragon, deal with a phoenix with a molting problem, and a bee that chased me around for an hour.  And I’ve been having to deal a psychotic frog.”

“E-Excuse me,” Tsuna said, not quite raising his hand, “but who are you?”

“Ah, you wound me,” Arveria said, putting a hand over her heart and shaking her head. Her heart matched the shaky feeling in her limbs.   Tilting her head, she gave him a crooked smile.  “You really don’t recognize me…  What a shame this is!   I know I’ve changed but I didn’t think I’d changed _that_ much.”

“Huh?”  Tsuna looked at her confused.  In the next second he was kicked in the head by Reborn.

“Dame-Tsuna, take another look.  You know her.”

“If Juudaime says he doesn’t know her-“ Gokudera started.

“KRYSTAL,” Tsuna said in surprise suddenly.  His eyes were wide.

“Technically, Krystal died about five years ago,” Arveria said with a smile, “but I did used to be called by that name.”

“What are you talking about,” Sakura asked.  “You are Krystal, aren’t you?”

Shaking her head Arveria looked towards the ceiling.  Her breath rattled silently.  “Don’t call me by that name.  What I said is true.  At one point I was called Krystal, but I’m Arveria.”

“Just because you changed your name doesn’t mean you’re a different person,” Gokudera barked.

Arveria’s eyes narrowed as she turned her gaze to Gokudera.  “You’d be surprised how much power a name can hold, octopus head,” she snarled.  Her lip drew back over her canines.  

Lal cut off his reply.  “Why are you here?  Do you have any information on Mukuro or the rest of the Kokuyo Gang?”

Arveria took a seat in a spare chair.  Crossing her legs, she brushed her hair back.  “Sorry, I can’t say anything about them.  For one, you’re with CEDEF.  Two, while I may be in the Vongola, I still listen to Mukuro first.  I don’t take orders from anyone.  As for what I’m doing here, I came here to help train Chrome.”

“What do you mean you don’t take orders,” Sakura asked.  “Aren’t you part of the Vongola?  That means you should be-“

“I mean I don’t take orders unless I want to.  I still follow Mukuro first and foremost and he knows I won’t do anything I don’t want to.  I only joined the Vongola a couple years ago because I figured it would be more beneficial for me to since all of you guys are in it.”

Arveria continued despite the glare Gokudera was giving her.  Her heart seemed to be draining her energy and making her heavy.  “I was beginning to wonder if that was a smart idea what with the Millefiore out to get us, but I’d rather be a part of the Vongola and have some sort of protection than not be and be hunted down for my connection to you freaks.  I’d rather be on your side than the Millefiore’s anyways.  I don’t know about you, but I prefer to keep my world in one piece.”

“So you’re just here for the ride,” Reborn said.

“I’m here because the Vongola happens to fit in with my schedule and plan.  Beyond that, I’m only helping because I don’t want to see my friends die.”

“You, bitch,” Gokudera yelled.  “You don’t care about the Vongola!”

Arveria merely looked at him with a raised eyebrow. 

“G-Gokudera-kun!” Tsuna said.

“Why the hell did you join if you’re going to be so disrespectful towards Juudaime?!”

Arveria sighed, her hand rubbing her temple.  “I do respect Tsuna.  Just as a friend.  He’s not my boss.”

Gokudera continued to cuss her out and had to be restrained by Yamamoto and Sakura.  She stood up with a small stretch.  She spread her hands to accentuate the unclipped nails.  “Careful, Kitty.  If you excuse me, I’m going to go find some food and check on Chrome.” 

Only a few seconds after Arveria headed towards the kitchen, Sakura ran down the hall after her. 

“Wait up!”

Arveria didn’t stop, but did slow down.  “You’ve gotten shorter,” Arveria grinned as Sakura caught up. 

“I didn’t shrink.  You grew,”  Sakura said.

“You’re not kitten me,” Arveria said in English using the joke from their childhood.

Sakura laughed and hugged Arveria.  “I missed you.  Yamamoto told us you were dead.”

Arveria’s gaze softened and she returned the hug.  “I’m sorry.  I told him to tell you Krystal is dead because that is the truth.  I refuse to acknowledge that name.  I missed you too, though.  It’s been years since I last saw you.”

The light from the fridge almost seemed dim compared to the overhead light.  Arveria found a bag of carrots and settled down at the table. 

“Why did you change your name,” Sakura asked.  “I liked your name.”

There was a huff from Arveria as she took a bite.  Crunching on it, she thought before answering.  “Krystal wasn’t a bad name, but I guess you could say I outgrew it.  It didn’t really fit who I am anymore.  So, I chose a new name and moved on.”

Arveria chuckled softly.  “Things went a little crazy five years ago, at least for me, Chrome, and the rest of the gang.  The attempt to break out Mukuro again didn’t really go that well if you can’t tell.”   Arveria rubbed her arms slightly.  “It was soon after that I changed.”

Sakura nodded.  “I remember that was mentioned in an earlier meeting.”

“Yeah.  Up until recently I wasn’t allowed to speak of where the rest of the gang was.  And in many ways, I still can’t.  I’ve mainly been in and out of the Varia for reasons that…well….I’m not really sure if I should speak about yet.  It’s none of your concern anyways.”

Looking Sakura in the eye, Arveria smirked.  “Please excuse me for speaking so much while saying so little.  What’s been going on here?”

“Nothing much,” Sakura said.  “Everyone’s training for the invasion, but it seems you already knew that.”

“Will you be alright,” Krystal asked.  “Five days is not very long to train.”

Sakura shrugged.  “I think so.  I’m more concerned about Chrome.  Ryohei just came in with her and she’s not doing well.”

“So, she’s already here.  I got here a little later than I wanted.”

“Let me guess,” she said, “you came to train Chrome?”

Krystal nodded.  “Mukuro asked me to, so I’ve got to do that.  Plus, I owe her.”

“You’ve changed a lot,” Sakura said suddenly.

“I didn’t think I’d changed that much.”

Sakura reached out and ran a finger down Arveria’s flower tattoos on her arm.  “I don’t think you would get tattoos ten years ago.”

Arveria barked out a laugh.  “I guess that’s true!”

Tugging her arm forward, Sakura pointed at faint lines around the tattoo and her arm.  “What are these from?  You’ve got some on your face too.”

She touched the raised lines on her cheek gingerly.  “That attempted break out left its mark,” she said softly.   “I tried to fight the Vindice after all.”

“You seriously tried to fight the Vindice?!”  Sakura’s mouth hung open. 

“I can be an idiot at times.  I know.”  Arveria grinned, though her stomach churned at the memory.

“You people are insane.  You’re lucky you didn’t get locked up again.”

“I suppose we are.  Though we’re even luckier we got out of that situation alive.”  Arveria sighed and leaned back.  “I owe Chrome quite a bit.  I’m glad that I’m able to help her with her training even though it isn’t her current self.”

“Were you the only to get hurt that bad?”

Arveria nodded.  “I didn’t stop when I should have.  I promised Mukuro that I’d get him out.  I have every intent to keep that promise.  I hate having to wait.”

Sakura shook her head.   “You really are too stubborn.”

“I keep my promises.  My friends are my family.  I refuse to leave them behind.”  Arveria smiled at her. 

“But, it’s fine now.  It left me more pissed off than upset,” Arveria joked.  “I’ll get even with them someday.”

Sakura nodded and leaned forward.  “So…what’s my future self like?”

“Off the rocker insane,” Arveria said, struggling to keep a straight face.

“What?!”

“Just kidding,” Arveria said with a smile, resting an elbow on the table.  “You’ve gotten a lot stronger in the future.  A bit jaded.  Getting involved in the actual mafia hit everyone hard.  I can’t say too much beyond that.  I’ve had limited contact with you.  And then there’s Gokudera…”  Arveria sighed. 

“What about him,” Sakura asked.

“Nothing,” she said.  “If you don’t mind, I’m going to check on Chrome.  I’m worried about her.”


End file.
